Samsara

by  Lauren Yee

Full Length Play, Comedy  /  3m, 2f

Katie and Craig are having a baby… with a surrogate… who lives in India. A whimsical take on modern day colonialism.

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Samsara

by  Lauren Yee

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Samsara

  • Cast Size

    Cast Size

    3m, 2f
  • Duration

    Duration

    90 minutes
  • SubGenre

    Subgenre

    Adventure, Romantic Comedy
  • Audience

    Target Audience

    • Adult

Additional Info

Katie and Craig are having a baby… with a surrogate… who lives in India. A month before the baby’s due date, Craig reluctantly travels to the subcontinent, where he meets Suraiya, their young, less-than-thrilled surrogate. As all three “parents” anxiously wait for the baby to be born, flights of fancy attack them from all sides, in the form of an unctuous Frenchman and a smart-mouthed fetus. A whimsical take on modern day colonialism.
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Reviews

REVIEWS 

“[G]enuinely moving… stick with this one. … there’s a throbbing play here with a bleeding heart and a laudable awareness of how we sometimes only get one shot at happiness or escape, and of how macroeconomics and geopolitics don’t always embrace personal need.” - Chicago Tribune, Read More 

"Highly Recommended...[I]t is the conversation between surrogate mother and unborn child — some of it acerbic, some of it poignant, all of it hugely engaging — that shows Yee at her sparkling best.” - Chicago Sun-Times, Read More 

"Critics' Pick...A “savvy and affecting piece about modern reproduction. … the play’s playful style doesn’t diminish the weight of its substance." - TimeOut Chicago, - Read More 

"Yee has a deft hand with exposition, telescoping complicated setup into light, punchy scenes...The bold theatricality of Yee’s script keeps the audience engaged and giggling..." - Los Angeles Times, Read More


Videos

  • Samsara promo - Chance Theater
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Keywords

Asian issues, Love, Parenting/Family, Women's Issues

Considerations

Performing Groups

  • Professional Theatre
  • Shoestring Budget
  • Large Stage
  • Blackbox / Second Stage /Fringe Groups

Cautions

  • Caution Mild Adult Mild Adult Themes

License details

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

Production

Details

  • Time Period: Present Day
  • Duration: 90 minutes
  • Setting: Northern California and western India.
  • Additional Features: No intermission

Casting

3m, 2f
KATIE - mid to late 30s, female, Caucasian
CRAIG - mid to late 30s, male, Caucasian, her husband
SURAIYA - twentysomething but appears younger, female, Indian, their surrogate (also plays BABY)
AMIT - appears to be the same age as Suraiya, male, Indian, a fetus (also plays INDIAN WOMAN IN LABOR, SURROGATE 1, MAILMAN)
FRENCHMAN - any age, male, very French, a figment of Katie’s imagination (also plays DOCTOR, ORPHAN, SURROGATE 2)
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Cast Attributes

  • Role(s) for Asian Actor(s)
  • Roles for Teens
  • Multicultural casting

Resources

Available Services

Scripts

Samsara

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Authors

Lauren Yee

Lauren Yee

Lauren was born and raised in San Francisco and currently lives in New York City. Her plays include CHING CHONG CHINAMAN (Pan Asian, Mu Performing Arts, SIS Productions, Impact Theatre), CREVICE (Impact), THE HATMAKER’S WIFE (The Playwrights Realm, The Hub, Moxie Theatre, AlterTheater, PlayPenn), HOOKMAN (Encore Theatr ...

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Samsara first premiered at Victory gardens Theater in CHicago, IL in February of 2015 under the direction of Seth Bockley.

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