A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

Yoga Play

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  2w, 3m

The headquarters of a successful athleisure wear company provide the setting for an uproarious exploration of cultural appropriation, exploitation, consumerism, fat shaming, and yoga pants.

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    2w, 3m
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Not Applicable
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary
Joan has been hired to stabilize Jojomon, a yoga apparel giant, after its CEO is brought down by a fat-shaming scandal. But just as she finds her stride, more trouble surfaces and sales plummet. Joan comes up with a plan so risky that it could make or break the company and her career—and what it requires from her CFO, Raj, is far beyond the call of duty. This sharp comedy asks what it takes to find your own authenticity in a world determined to sell enlightenment.
History
Yoga Play was commissioned and first produced by South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California on April 21, 2017, under the direction of Crispin Whittell.

CHARACTERS

JOAN – early fifties, white, American
RAJ – mid-thirties, South-Asian, American
FRED – mid-thirties, Singaporean
ROMOLA – mid-twenties, Latina, American
GURUJI – early forties/fifties
JOHN DALE – Founder of Jojomon, fifties, like an aging rock star
MRS. KAPOOR – Raj’s mother, early sixties, heavy upper-class North Indian accent
MR. KAPOOR – Raj’s father, early sixties, shouty, upper-class North Indian accent
LUCY – Jojomon employee, mid-twenties, highly-educated, American
ALAN CARR – BBC News reporter, a bit nasal, classic BBC cadence
NOOYI – Joan’s secretary, early/mid-twenties, over-keen, American
LAUREN LILLY CLARK ROSE – Jojomon brand ambassador, American

The actor playing playing John Dale also plays Alan Carr, Mr. Kapoor, and Guruji.
The actor playing Romola also plays Lucy, Nooyi, Mrs. Kapoor, and Lauren Lilly Clark Rose.

  • Time Period Contemporary, Present Day, New Millennium/21st Century
  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Strong Language

Media

“A fresh new comedy with a sharp cultural bite." - LA Times

"Comic nirvana...the show [has] an uncommon comic electricity, an aliveness to the present moment that’s only possible in live theater." - San Francisco Chronicle

“A well-polished romp...Yoga Play is that welcome commodity, a fresh new comedy with a sharp cultural bite that may be educational as well as entertaining." - LA Times

"Rollicking...Yoga Play is like a good class. One departs revitalized." - Orange County Register

"Yoga Play touches intelligently on important themes such as cultural appropriation, exploitation, consumerism, fat shaming, and workplace abuse. But don’t expect an earnest evening of politically correct theatre. Sure, Yoga Play will encourage you to think, but mostly, it’s about making you laugh." - Charles Kruger, Theatrestorm

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

Available Formats:

Authors

Dipika Guha

Dipika Guha was born in Calcutta and raised in Russia and the UK. Her plays include Yoga Play (South Coast Rep, SF Playhouse, Playmakers Rep & others), The Art of Gaman (Theatre 503, London) and Unreliable (Kansas City Rep). She was the inaugural recipient of the Shakespeare’ ...

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