PT First crashing at Audio Engine prompt

[hellatall]

Hi,
I am trying out PTF on a MBPro early 2015 running 2.8ghz i7 processor, 16MB ram, and El Capitan 10.11.6. (disregard the specs in my signature -- that's my studio set-up)

The app launches the the first screen, scans the plugins, and then pops a window letting me know that I need to set up the playback engine. I click OK and it crashes. Repeatedly.

Holding down the N key does not change the course of events. The laptop has the iLok attached, internet on, and the license properly transferred.

I do not have any hardware attached (my hope is to use this in other parts of the studio away from my HD rig just to sketch midi ideas in...), but I'm told that's not an issue.

Any ideas?