Los Altos Stage Company’s latest situational comedy, “Yoga Play,” takes the stage Friday, kicking off a 17-performance run at the Bus Barn Theater.
“(‘Yoga Play’) is a comedy … looking at the West and America’s obsession with yoga and Eastern spirituality and how companies are co-opting that for their own consumer goals,” director Gary Landis said.
Landis said he discovered Dipika Guha’s 2020 play four years ago after reading reviews of the San Francisco Playhouse’s production. In an attempt to include comedies that examine ideologies and beliefs affluent communities hold, Landis was drawn toward putting on “Yoga Play” in Los Altos.
“Yoga Play” follows a white yoga company CEO named Joan, played by Los Altos Stage veteran actress Kristin Walter. The play’s plot centers around Joan, who Walter said was booted from her previous job following a nervous breakdown, attempting to save the image of her new company following a fatphobia-laden scandal.
Of course, per comedy logic, saving Jojomon’s reputation is no easy task. She and her two direct reports – Raj and Fred – embark on a journey involving sweatshops, gurus and spiraling consequences. Nevertheless, it is this snowballing cycle of consequences that Landis said makes “Yoga Play” effective at conveying its message to audiences.
“A company, in order to feel like it is being authentic, pursues the most stereotypical definition of what authentic means to be, and in that pursuit for that, they create their own folly,” Landis said.
The play itself stands out for reasons other than its stressed-out protagonist and comedic critique of cultural appropriation – it involves mixed media. On stage, Landis said a remote studio was set up, equipped with cameras and microphones to mimic contemporary “remote” work.
“We’ve been lucky enough to incorporate the technology relatively early in the rehearsal process,” Landis said. “So, we’ve been able to for a little time up to now, and a little time before the show opens, rehearse with it, see where the problems are, try to solve the problems.”
Walter said the cast and crew began rehearsals shortly after August auditions, finding time to rehearse in between performances of “Christmas Carol,” which she directed. Her ample experience in the acting industry comes after obtaining a bachelor’s degree in theater from Santa Clara University in 1992. She has been choreographing, acting, teaching and directing ever since, having spent 15 years acting with Los Altos Stage Company.
Still, seasoned as she is, Walter faced one (fun) challenge while preparing for the role of the play’s protagonist: Joan was constantly on the verge of passing out, as Walter put it.
“The fun for me, and the challenge for me, has been getting that level of anxiety going on stage and stressing out and hyperventilating without actually stressing out and hyperventilating,” Walter said.
After watching “Yoga Play,” which has a run time of just over 90 minutes, Walter hopes audiences take a step back and examine what corporate culture can take from society.
“There’s a lot of absurdism that’s going on, but taking a step back and looking at corporate culture and looking at the concessions that we make on behalf of capitalism (is important),” Walter said. “What do we sacrifice on the altar of capitalism and corporate culture?”
“Yoga Play” runs through Feb. 15. A pay-what-you-can preview is set for 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday’s 8 p.m. show is opening night. Future performances are slated for 8 p.m. Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays, 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays. Tickets are $25-$48.
For tickets and more information, visit losaltosstage.org.
