YOGA PLAY
By Dipika Guha
University of Massachusetts Theater
Amherst, MA
October 17, 2025 - October 25, 2025
By Dipika Guha
University of Massachusetts Theater
Amherst, MA
October 17, 2025 - October 25, 2025
CREATIVE TEAM
Director: Rose Schwietz Malia
Dramaturgs: Maya Quinones, David Keohane
Voice and Dialect Coach: Elisa Gonzales
Scenic Designer: Anya Klepikov
Lighting Designer: Lara Dubin
Costume Designer: Percival Burch
Sound Designer and Composer: Marco White
Production Stage Manager: Emma Lickly
Assistant Director: Abby Ogwang
Assistant Scenic Designer: Julia Castro
Assistant Lighting Designer: Ty Smith
Assistant Sound Designer: Joe Hanna
Assistant Stage Manager: Yar Petrov
Alan Karr's story about Jojomon's alleged absusive behavior in the workplace goes trending on twitter
Joan's assistant, Nooyi, communicates to her through buzzing her intercom
Joan's ringtone
Sound courtesy of Android
Raj's ringtone
Sound courtesy of Apple
Members of the Jojomon team and consumers join the livestream to watch influencer Lauren Lily Clark Rose and 'Gururaj' explain what yoga really is.
Fred pulls the plug to the livestream after Raj begins to go rogue, telling the audience to stop buying things.
Joan was recently hired to the yoga apparel company, Jojomon, as the CEO and is slowly adjusting by raising stock prices and uping production from other countries.
During lunch breaks, Raj and Fred would discuss particular dreams they would have with one another.
Alan Karr runs the story about Jojomon, accusing them of fat-shaming, exploitative labor practices, and cultural appropriation.
After Alan Karr exposed Jojomon; Joan decided to try and find a guru that will help save the company.
A gong is sounded mid-transition; signaling that we're moving into Romola's peaceful world.
Stressed out, Joan makes decisions one step closer to the company to having a PR nightmare.
Raj's uncle connects him with a guru that will fly out to California and help repair Jojomon's reputation.
The gong is sounded; Joan is passed out in the yoga studio as Romola is trying to help her recover from her panic attack.
Joan finds out that the said guru they flew out is now at Jojomon and rushes out of the yoga studio
Joan, Raj, and Fred are in the dark with this mysterious guru figure called Guruji but are excited and hopeful he will be fixing the company's reputation.
When Raj turns the office lights on, it is revealed that Guruji is a white guru named Bernard Brown who was a former English teacher from Santa Monica.
In a last ditch effort, Joan has the idea of disguising Raj as a guru and talk to the public about authentic yoga, having him learn with Romola
It is now the day of the conference and Raj is very scared and doesn't feel confident in his ability to perform well
Bernard Brown/Guruji guides Joan to find inner peace within herself before she is brutally interrupted
Photos by Derek Fowles