Mantra R

Mantra (she/any) is a playwright, director, and comedian originally from Bangalore, India and based in Chicago. Her work was recently seen at 24HourPlays (Off-Broadway), Writers Theatre, A Red Orchid Theatre, Annoyance Theatre, iO, Artemesia Theatre, Token Theatre, The Second City, The Road Theatre, Theo Ubique, Theatre Wit, Shattered Globe, Sandbox Theatre Collective, and Avalanche Theatre. Her plays have received recognition from the 2026 Jeff Impact Fellowship, 2024 Agnes Nixon Playwriting award (winner), Fulbright Creative Writing scholarship (alternate finalist), Ojai Playwrights Conference (semifinalist), Inkslinger Playwriting Competition (semifinalist), SheNYC festival (finalist) and Boise Contemporary Theatre’s Playwriting festival (finalist). Her sketch collective, Women Off...

Mantra (she/any) is a playwright, director, and comedian originally from Bangalore, India and based in Chicago. Her work was recently seen at 24HourPlays (Off-Broadway), Writers Theatre, A Red Orchid Theatre, Annoyance Theatre, iO, Artemesia Theatre, Token Theatre, The Second City, The Road Theatre, Theo Ubique, Theatre Wit, Shattered Globe, Sandbox Theatre Collective, and Avalanche Theatre. Her plays have received recognition from the 2026 Jeff Impact Fellowship, 2024 Agnes Nixon Playwriting award (winner), Fulbright Creative Writing scholarship (alternate finalist), Ojai Playwrights Conference (semifinalist), Inkslinger Playwriting Competition (semifinalist), SheNYC festival (finalist) and Boise Contemporary Theatre’s Playwriting festival (finalist). Her sketch collective, Women Off-Colour, recently debuted at A Red Orchid Theatre, and will be touring nationally in 2026. She was a Victor Wong Fellow at the Second City, Under Construction Playwright at The Road Theatre, and performs stand-up comedy all over Chicago!

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Scripts

the principal's committee

by Mantra R

Cast Size
4
Genre
dark comedy,
political,
satire

At the second-best International school in India, things must always be better. You must work harder, run faster, and you must win. When a tragic accident strikes the school, Caroline, the Principal of the school, decides it is time for some much-needed change to the school's image. She brings in Rajesh, a decolonization consultant, all the way from America to decolonize their history syllabus, along with the...

At the second-best International school in India, things must always be better. You must work harder, run faster, and you must win. When a tragic accident strikes the school, Caroline, the Principal of the school, decides it is time for some much-needed change to the school's image. She brings in Rajesh, a decolonization consultant, all the way from America to decolonize their history syllabus, along with the school’s best and brightest. Mantra’s new play, the principal’s committee, explores how far we are willing to go to succeed in a colonized world, where power corrupts. After all, the promise of power can drive anyone mad…

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Love In The Time Of ______

by Mantra R

Cast Size
6
Genre
comedy,
romantic comedy

Set in a world of pop songs, dating apps, and coincidences, Mantra’s pattern play, “Love in the Time Of _____” interrogates the gap between the idealized notion of love we consume and the messier reality that love entails. When the rose-colored hue of novelty falls away, where do we go from there?

Set in a world of pop songs, dating apps, and coincidences, Mantra’s pattern play, “Love in the Time Of _____” interrogates the gap between the idealized notion of love we consume and the messier reality that love entails. When the rose-colored hue of novelty falls away, where do we go from there?

The Bro's Visit

by Mantra R

Cast Size
4
Genre
comedy,
musical

Charlie is getting married tomorrow, and he cannot wait. Okay, he could wait a little bit. Like a few more days. Or a few more weeks. The night before, during what Layla hopes is the bachelor party of his dreams, tragedy strikes: the rings are lost. With the help of stripper Devin, the gang solves the mystery of the missing rings. And make some discoveries about themselves along the way.

Charlie is getting married tomorrow, and he cannot wait. Okay, he could wait a little bit. Like a few more days. Or a few more weeks. The night before, during what Layla hopes is the bachelor party of his dreams, tragedy strikes: the rings are lost. With the help of stripper Devin, the gang solves the mystery of the missing rings. And make some discoveries about themselves along the way.

The Thing About The Dream

by Mantra R

Cast Size
7
Genre
comedy,
drama,
farce,
mystery/thriller

After coming to America following a tragic and explosive incident at home, Rekha has finally landed her dream job working on a comedy show. But the longer she is in the Land Of Opportunity, the less she is able to assimilate to her new life. Her past self – and the reason she left India to begin with – come back to haunt her as she navigates loneliness and reconciles with not belonging anywhere. This play is a...

After coming to America following a tragic and explosive incident at home, Rekha has finally landed her dream job working on a comedy show. But the longer she is in the Land Of Opportunity, the less she is able to assimilate to her new life. Her past self – and the reason she left India to begin with – come back to haunt her as she navigates loneliness and reconciles with not belonging anywhere. This play is a who-dunnit comedy in the past, a coming-of-age drama in the future, and a very literal journey of how to beat yourself up.

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