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Start Down, which had its world premiere at the Alliance Theatre on Feb. 18 and will conclude its run March 6, is a humor-filled drama that discusses today’s approach to education, technology, and love. The play, written by Eleanor Burgess, was performed as part of the Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, which looks at plays from the nation’s leading MFA graduate programs and selects one winner to receive a full stage production as part of the Alliance season, as well as four finalists who receive public staged readings.

Start Down centers around Will, a software developer who starts a company he hopes will revolutionize education through programming that personalizes student learning. The story also explores the personal lives of Will and three other adults affected by his project, two of which are high school teachers themselves. The show brings up relevant issues found in today’s education systems, including overcrowded schools, unqualified teachers, and lack of individualized curriculum. The six-member cast worked with Burgess’s witty, natural dialogue to bring the play to life, with particularly notable performances by Eric Sharp as Will and Tracey Bonner as Karen.

The main set, which served as a backdrop for the various settings of the show, evoked a public high school setting – walls of gray cinder blocks, hanging fluorescent lights, and a rusty sprinkler system. This allowed the show to make a point before the play even began; from the moment audience members entered the theater, the set’s perfectly bland and detached aura offered its own commentary on the learning environments in our school today.

Another notable element of the show is its smooth and engaging scene changes. Beyond the well-designed sound and lighting effects, the incredible use of projection and mechanically moving set pieces, added to the seamless and transporting transitions.

Unlike many social commentaries on the rise of technology, which often paint pictures of machine-dominated dystopian futures, Start Down does not just focus on the negatives. Instead, the play acknowledges the issues with our current education system without trying to deliver a single message about what the ‘right’ solution is. The play demonstrates the pros and cons of integrating technology and education, and leaves its audience with questions rather than answers.

In addition to the debate about education, Start Down also explores the complicated struggles in other aspects of our everyday lives: for example, the struggle to balance romantic relationships with stressful work lives. The show is incredibly multifaceted and expertly interweaves complex topics into a fascinating take on the many effects of technology on society, opening a discussion that seems more and more relevant in today’s ever-modernizing world.