“LIKE Me” Turns Spotlight on Social Media

In a world where validation comes in hearts, swipes and followers, “LIKE Me: Social Media & Digital Identity” dives deep into the psyche of a generation raised on screens.

This multimedia production was developed by RIC Professor of Dance Angelica Cardente-Vessella and RIC Professor of Musical Theatre Bill Wilson. It will be staged in the Helen Forman Theater at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 4, 5 and 6 and at 1 p.m. on Dec. 6 and 7.

“The idea for this had been incubating in my mind for three years,” says Cardente-Vessella. 

She reached out to her longtime collaborator, Wilson, and together, they wrote and developed this work while the actors rehearsed.

“LIKE Me” is a visceral performance that merges theatre, dance/movement and song to explore the addictive pull of social media and its grip on youth identity, self-worth and connection.

The show is geared toward high school and college-age audiences who grew up on social media. Many of the vignettes were derived from the student actors themselves, based on their personal experiences.

“We asked them to audition with their stories,” says Wilson.

“Many of them talked about being cyber bullied and spoke about it as if almost everyone is,” says Cardente-Vessella. “They also talked a lot about FOMO [Fear of Missing Out]. They’ll see posts from their friends who are out doing things together and wonder why they weren’t invited.”

“Though social media has given us the ability to connect easier,” she says, “we’re lonelier than ever. Though we have all these different social media apps – Instagram, Facebook, Tic Toc, there’s also a lot of opportunities to simply not be present. Is social media replacing the actual act of getting together?”

“There’s never going to be a world without social media,” Cardente-Vessella acknowledges. “But this show isn’t about doing away with social media. It’s about how do we work with it?” 

At once intense and reflective, ‘LIKE Me’ holds a mirror to a culture chasing clout, curating perfection and measuring value one like at a time. It’s not just a performance – it’s a question, a confession and a call to unplug.

When asked what she hopes for from this show, Cardente-Vessella replies, “I hope people will see that they’re not alone.”

Cardente-Vessella and Wilson have worked on RIC productions together for over 20 years. This fall the theatre and dance programs merged and became one department. “LIKE Me” will be their first production in the newly formed Department of Theatre and Dance. 

As collaborators, their recipe for longevity, they said, is respect:

“Trust, respect and the willingness to allow the other person to experiment. Angelica is one of the greatest collaborators I know,” says Wilson.

“I feel the same about Bill,” she says.

For tickets to “LIKE Me,” call the RIC Box Office at (401) 456-8144 or purchase tickets online. Rhode Island College is located at 600 Mt. Pleasant Avenue in Providence.