Virtual Play: Sweet Dreams Inc.

Play Summary:

Sweet Dreams Inc. is a play about two “Dream Agents” and Jordan, just a normal human, dealing with personal issues that create tension in relationships. Jordan falls asleep after a big argument with his friends and enters a dreamscape where two bickering “Dream Agents”, who look like his friends, take over his personal issues of Zoom Fatigue and ADHD in order to try and convince him of the root of his problems. Amidst their constant fighting, Zoom and ADHD drive Jordan mad, and he realizes the mistakes he has made with his friends. After this realization, Jordan apologizes and the friends make up. The “Dream Agents” then find their next victims.

Creation Journey:

The initial pitch of this play was Jordan being stuck in a Zoom Realm after being mean to his friends. He was supposed to be stuck in this realm with his issues, ADHD & Zoom Fatigue until he realized he was wrong for being mean and learned how to fix his mistakes. We were going to have a lighting change and music in the Zoom Realm, but we ended up finding out that the stakes weren’t high enough in this plotline. So, we decided to change the plot to a Dream Realm instead, one like the Wizard of Oz, where Jordan dreams until he learns his lesson. However, we wanted to make Zoom & ADHD more dynamic, and thus the Dream Agents were born.

Challenges Encountered:

1. Timing of certain exits/entrances with the music in the Zoom Realm version.

2. Keeping the stakes high in the Zoom Realm.

3. Defining the characters and the differences between Zoom/Nae and ADHD/Mario.

Project Successes:

1. Changing the entire plot to a Dream instead of Zoom.

2. Specifying characters/giving good character arcs.

3. Utilizing green screen effect to show sleeping Jordan & the Dream VOID.

4. General collaboration on script and execution of the script.

Playwrite: Myra Carleton

Co-Directors: Anthony Hayes, Maggie Perisho, & Mason Golden 

Jordan: Jordan Shaw 

Nae/Zoom Fatigue: Janae Robinson 

Mario/ADHD: Mario Noto