Jared Mezzocchi has been systematically exploring what Zoom and the editing program Isadora can offer theatre practitioners during the pandemic. As a theatre educator, he launched an MFA program at University of Maryland in projection design, and he recently designed and co-directed Russian Troll Farm, the highly acclaimed Zoom theatre production. Read this Howlround article to learn about the production, how to reverse-engineer Zoom, Isadora as the way forward, and more.
ABOUT THE SHOW: (You can get tickets to stream it until Jan 14!) At the infamous (real-life!) Internet Research Agency, professional internet trolls work for days at a time to influence American popular opinion, creating the illusion of consensus—or conflict. There are floors for Twitter, for Facebook, memes, fake news, and comments sections. Russian Troll Farm: A Workplace Comedy imagines the daily lives of these workers as they invent characters, stage conflicts, and create conspiracies. What happens to your grasp on the truth when your whole job is lying? How does your identity shift when you impersonate Americans for a living? Does anybody want Thai food? From Thai Palace or Thai Pavillion?
