Leveling Up
Deborah Zoe Laufer’s Leveling Up is a play about four young people whose limits are tested and their boundaries are pushed as they gain a greater awareness of the world they live in after college. The show revolves greatly around Ian and his journey from a basement video game player to a sensor operator flying drones for the National Security Agency. Ian’s story brings to light the often overlooked mental health problems, in his case Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, experienced by these remote piloted aircraft officers who statistically are just as likely to manifest mental health problems as traditional fighter pilots. Well-known whistleblowers such as Brandon Bryant shed light on the verbally abusive, high-pressure nature of Ian’s job, further explaining his mental decline that we see through his relationships with his friends and Jeannie, and his relationship with the video games at home and the people he games with.
~Emily Bisno
Director's Notes
As a Baby Boomer, I will readily admit to an astonishing lack of proficiency with all things IT & tech related! My entire childhood was spent outdoors with friends either playing sports or roaming the neighborhood hell-bent on mischief and intrigue until the very last moment when we were due home for dinner and homework. Only a few short generations later, we find ourselves amazed at the seven-year-old who has mastered technology or the twenty-two-year-old who has such a command of gaming skills that the National Security Agency has deemed them the best resource for technology-based war in the form of drone-piloting. Certainly, one thing has remained the same…human behavior and psychology.
Deborah Zoe Laufer is a wonderfully gifted playwright who has fashioned a tale that, while ripped from the headlines, utilizes the most basic premise of theatre - relationships. With a compact cast of four, Ms. Laufer weaves an intricate web of interactions in a decidedly coming-of-age story. Who will get the ‘epic win’ first? Is there such a thing, or have we become too inured by animated violence? What does love look like in the 21st century if my phone has become a permanent fixture in my hand? Was George Orwell prescient in regard to the current administration? Who’s watching?
I want to thank you for coming to see this timely play and to pay special ‘props’ to the wonderful actors, designers, staff and crew who have worked so beautifully and collaboratively to make it all happen. Enjoy!
~Robert Walsh
