Life Behind the Screen: A Story of Work, Family and Bad Content

The play shows how a man named Frank struggles to keep his life together while working as a content moderator during the early days of the COVID‑19 lockdown. He is separated from his wife, who is upset that he borrowed money without telling her while studying English at a community college. Frank also tries to stay close to his teenage son, but he keeps making mistakes in their conversations. Frank takes a low‑wage job that asks him to review videos posted on a social media site similar to Facebook. The theater production uses large screens that surround the audience, putting everyone inside Frank’s chaotic world as he makes quick “accept” or “reject” decisions. He works from his home office outside Chicago, and most of the play’s action takes place on screens that show his interactions with his wife, his supervisor who says “look but don’t see, ” and a fellow moderator named Rayne. Rayne even watches the most difficult content, such as child‑abuse videos, and offers support to Frank.The creative team behind the production—designers, lighting and sound technicians—creates a strong visual and audio experience that makes the audience feel the weight of Frank’s job. The show is not perfect; a technical glitch caused a ten‑minute pause during the matinee, showing that even with great tech support, challenges remain. Through his work, Frank hopes to do something good for the world. He talks about a boy named Gus who posts videos of his father beating him, and Frank says he wants to help. But the play reminds us that the real monsters—harsh content and difficult situations—are still present, even as Frank keeps fighting.