The present work deals with the influence of initial geometric imperfections on the dynamic behavior of simply supported rectangular plates subjected to the action of periodic in-plane forces. The nonlinear large-deflection plate theory used in this analysis corresponds to the dynamic analog of von Karman's theory. The temporal response is analyzed by the first-order generalized asymptotic method. The solution for the temporal equations of motion takes into account the possibility of existence of simultaneous forced and parametric vibrations. The results indicate that the presence of initial imperfections may significantly raise the resonance frequencies, cause the plate to exhibit a soft spring behavior and improve slightly the stability of the plate by reducing the area of its instability zones. Furthermore, the presence of initial imperfections induces forced vibrations which interact with parametric vibrations in order to generate a competitive hesitation phenomenon in the transition zone.