Among all the DAN School Majors I’ve seen over the past four years of my degree, Love and Information shines brighter than the rest.
On March 5, the DAN School of Drama and Music premiered its Winter Major, Love and Information, directed by Assistant Professor Michael Wheeler and Assistant Director Iulia Rus, ConEd ’25. Written by acclaimed playwright Caryl Churchill, with original writing contributions by student playwright Giselle Castillejos, ConEd ’26, the production runs from March 5 to 16 at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. Featuring 26 cast , 52 scenes, and seven acts, this production is no small feat—it’s a theatrical experiment in movement, media, and modernity.
READ MORE: DAN Winter Major Love and Information brings the internet to the stage
More than just a performance, Love and Information is an experience—blending dance, audience participation, social critique, and, above all, an embrace of technology.
The internet pulses through the show’s veins, with clips of memes and viral media woven into intermittent monologues delivered by standout Charlie Hensel, ArtSci ’25, who plays “Z.” Acting as both narrator and provocateur, “Z” seamlessly integrates digital culture into the performance’s thematic core, holding up a mirror to how we consume and process information today.
Each scene in the show unfolds like a fleeting glimpse into a different reality, with no single scene lasting longer than three minutes. These rapid-fire vignettes create a sense of urgency, capturing the fragmented, fast-paced nature of modern communication. The quick shifts between stories mirror the way we consume content today—scrolling, swiping, and absorbing narratives in bite-sized fragments.
Perhaps the show’s most innovative element is its fluidity. No two performances are identical, thanks to the unsung hero of the show—Amy Cui, CompSci ’25. Cui developed an algorithm that reshuffles the scenes nightly based on responses submitted by ticket holders before the show.
This interactive component underscores the production’s central theme—how technology shapes our experiences, often in ways we don’t even realize.
The show’s interactivity continued when between selected acts, the entire cast engaged in movement sequences choreographed by Sophie Wilson, ArtSci ’26, while a random audience member was handed an iPad. The instructions for its use were cleverly integrated into Gen-Z-inflected monologues written by Castillejos, adding a contemporary, self-aware edge.
In one particularly memorable instance, the iPad would display a selection of Instagram filters—Sierra, X Pro II, Willow—nostalgic relics of early social media days. The chosen audience member picked a filter, which instantly altered the scene’s lighting, shifting its mood and meaning in real time.
Halfway through, all the lights and screens suddenly went dark, jolting the audience into silence. A glitchy, distorted video flickered on, urging audience to assist with the technical difficulty by illuminating the space with their phone flashlights. What began as confusion quickly became a striking moment of collective participation—an eerie yet beautiful demonstration of how reliant we’ve become on our devices to navigate the world around us.
This moment was especially memorable because it blurred the lines between audience and performer. It wasn’t just about watching a play; it was about engaging with it and becoming part of the narrative.
In an age where screens mediate so much of our reality, Love and Information masterfully turned that dependency into an artistic statement—one that lingered long after the lights came back on.
As a DAN School student myself, I’ve attended nearly every DAN School Major. While I’ve always been impressed by the department’s talent and ambition, Love and Information left me in awe.
The production is a testament not only to the skill of its performers, but also to the sheer expertise of the technical teams—lighting, sound, set design, and video—whose work elevates the show into something truly extraordinary. More than anything, it displays the energy, ion, and bold innovation that define the DAN School.
Walking away from the preview, I was struck by an overwhelming sense of Queen’s pride. What a privilege it is to attend a university that produces such high-caliber, electrifying work. With Love and Information running until March 16, missing this production would be a mistake.
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