Dates & Times

GO DEEPER: JOB

Compiled by Christy Montour-Larson

Interviews & Director’s Note

Inside the Mind of Max Wolf Friedlich: Writing the Internet’s Anxiety into JOB

In this illuminating Q&A, Max Wolf Friedlich discusses the genesis of his play JOB — from a chance encounter with a tech worker to his own experiences as a ghostwriter for a social-media persona.
Read The Verge Interview »

Translating Tech Trauma to the Stage: A Conversation with Max Wolf Friedlich

Playwright Max Wolf Friedlich reflects on how JOB channels digital burnout, therapy culture, and the modern obsession with productivity into a tense live thriller.
Listen to the Interview »

Director’s Note:

Click HERE to read Josh Hartwell’s Director’s Note

Reviews Roundup

• Variety calls JOB “a taut Broadway play that uploads a journey into cyber-hell,” praising its “sharp performances and nerve-jangling tension.” Read the Variety review »
• The Guardian describes JOB as “a seat-edge Broadway thriller” that “makes smart use of digital anxiety” and captures “the chaos of the always-on age.” Read The Guardian review »
• The New Yorker notes JOB as “a daringly two-handed thriller” that dives into “the corroded dynamics of therapy and tech-induced paranoia.” Read The New Yorker review »
• The Wrap calls JOB “a gripping dramatization of a tech worker’s mental breakdown” and “proof that social media can be bad for your health.” Read The Wrap review »

Mental Health & the Workplace

The modern workplace increasingly blurs the line between productivity and well-being. From mindfulness apps to company-sponsored therapy, organizations often promise mental health support while demanding constant output. These readings look at how real wellness can coexist—or collide—with the pressures of performance culture.

“The Value of a Psychologically Healthy Workplace” — Verywell Mind
A clear explanation of why work environments matter for mental health—covering how negative workplaces can lead to anxiety, substance use, poor sleep and even shortened lifespans, and how supporting employees’ mental health pays off for organizations.
Read the article »

“What 4 Real Employers Are Doing to Support Mental Health at Their Companies” — Verywell Mind
An engaging, accessible piece that shows concrete practices (from flexible scheduling to leadership attention) that companies use to help protect workers’ mental health—offering direct tie-ins to discussions of how work can either degrade or support a person’s wellbeing. Read the article »

Behind the Screen – Jane’s Role in a Hyper-Connected World

In JOB, Jane’s work exposes her to the darker corners of the world, forcing her to carry trauma that was never meant to be seen — let alone absorbed. The play pulls back the curtain on the unseen labor that keeps our online lives “safe,” asking what happens when the human mind becomes the filter for humanity’s worst impulses. These articles explore the emotional and psychological cost of moderating a hyper-connected world.

Explore More:

“The Trauma Floor: The Secret Lives of Facebook Moderators in America” — The Verge
An investigative piece exposing the emotional toll faced by content moderators forced to view disturbing material every day. It details anxiety, panic attacks, and the loss of identity — experiences that mirror Jane’s unraveling.
Read the article »

“WARNING: The (Open) Secret Lives of Content Moderators” — Cassandra Voices (2020)
A narrative article in accessible language that humanizes content moderators and the personal costs of their hidden labor — paralleling Jane’s isolation and blurred boundaries.
Read the article »

Generational Shifts at Work – Gen Z Expectations vs. Corporate Systems

In JOB, the clash between age, authority, and evolving values fuels much of the tension. Today’s youngest professionals bring new expectations for transparency, flexibility, and emotional honesty—challenging traditional corporate norms. These articles explore how Gen Z is reshaping what it means to work, lead, and stay well in a changing world.

Explore More:

“8 Things to Expect from Gen Z in the Workplace” — Stanford News (Feb 14, 2024)
Examines how Gen Z values collaboration, work–life balance, and purpose over hierarchy — revealing a generational clash central to JOB.
Read the article »

“The Truth About Gen Z’s Mental-Health Expectations at Work” — Society for Human Resource Management(May 14, 2025)
Finds that 61% of Gen Z employees would leave a job lacking mental-health support — a striking echo of JOB’s themes of burnout and boundary-setting.
Read the article »

“Gen Z Is Driving Change in the Multigenerational Workforce” — World Economic Forum (Jan 17, 2025)
Describes how Gen Z’s demand for autonomy, flexibility, and transparency is reshaping workplaces — often clashing with older corporate systems.
Read the article »

Questions to Consider: Engaging with JOB

1. What makes a job—or a life—feel meaningful? Both characters wrestle with purpose. How do you define meaning in your own work or relationships?
2. What does your job take out of you? Have you ever had a job that affected your mental health?
3. How do you decide who’s telling the truth? The story keeps shifting perspectives. How did your view of the two characters change as the play unfolded?
4. Who holds the power in the room? How do tone, silence, and posture shift the balance between the two characters?
5. Do generations see work differently? How do you think Gen Z’s approach to jobs and boundaries compares to older generations?
6. Reality vs. Performance: The play unfolds like a psychological thriller. What moments made you question what was real — and why might that uncertainty feel familiar in the digital age?
7. What does “work” mean now? After seeing JOB, how do you define work? Is emotional labor just as real — and as costly — as physical labor?
8. What stayed with you after the play ended? JOB doesn’t tie everything up neatly. What emotions or ideas lingered for you after the final moments?

Library Resources to Enhance Your JOB Experience

Curated by the Denver Public Library

READ
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
A darkly comic story about a woman who transcribes therapy sessions for a sex coach and becomes obsessed with a client. A perfect literary companion for JOB’s exploration of boundaries, identity, and obsession.

WATCH
Money Monster (dir. Jodie Foster, 2016)
A tense real-time thriller about a live television hostage situation. Like JOB, it traps characters in a single location while exploring power, panic, and truth.

LISTEN
Lab Rats: How Silicon Valley Made Work Miserable for the Rest of Us by Dan Lyons
An audiobook exposing how startup culture’s obsession with innovation breeds burnout — echoing JOB’s corporate pressures.

DOWNLOAD
We Had to Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets
A novella about a young woman whose job exposes her to the internet’s darkest corners. Like JOB, it asks: how much horror can one person absorb before breaking?