Life According to Swami Shiva by Cristina A. Bejan

A ten-minute play responding to Aaron Posner's "Life Sucks (Or the Present Ridiculous)" at Theatre J in Washington DC. Selected to be performed in their "LoveSucks" series on February 14, 2015. Ella from "Life Sucks" goes to Shiva, her swami and yoga teacher, for a meditation and yoga session. Sexually repressed at home, she declares her love for Shiva only to discover that...
A ten-minute play responding to Aaron Posner's "Life Sucks (Or the Present Ridiculous)" at Theatre J in Washington DC. Selected to be performed in their "LoveSucks" series on February 14, 2015. Ella from "Life Sucks" goes to Shiva, her swami and yoga teacher, for a meditation and yoga session. Sexually repressed at home, she declares her love for Shiva only to discover that Shiva has a committed partner, Dimitri. Setting: Shiva’s personal studio/temple for Eastern thought and practice; a lit candle and one lit incense stick, a small statue of the “OM” sign if possible, flower petals spread around these items as offerings. Produced in the 2022 Colorado Women's Theatre Festival, Milibo Arts Theatre, Colorado Springs. Selected for staged reading in the 2015 "Love Sucks" Festival at Theatre J, Washington DC.

"Life According to Swami Shiva" has been published in Bejan's play anthology "FINALLY QUIET: Four Plays from Bucharest to Washington DC" with No Passport Press in 2023. You can order the book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, or by contacting Bejan directly via her website: cristinaabejan.com
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Life According to Swami Shiva

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Character Information

  • Shiva
    20s/30s,
    White
    ,
    Male
    adopted the Hindu name as part of his path to Enlightenment, wears flowing all white tunic and draw-string pants
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Ella
    20s,
    White
    ,
    Female
    Russian female student, Ella from “Life Sucks” by Aaron Posner, also wearing all white but skin-tight (e.g. leggings and one of those bra/tanktop-in-one-tops), hair back in a tight bun, her bright yellow yoga mat is under one arm, large and loud car-keys in hand and an overflowing bag with everything and nothing – don’t need to think too hard about what is in it, but definitely most of the contents are completely unnecessary
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female

Production History

  • Professional
    ,
    Milibo Arts Theatre - Colorado Women's Theatre Festival
    ,
    2022
  • Professional
    ,
    Theatre J - Love Sucks Festival (script was a winner and earned a staged reading)
    ,
    2015