Photo Flash: First Look at Coeurage Theatre Company's SAMSARA

Coeurage Theatre Company, LA's Pay What You Want theatre company, has announced the first production of its 10th Anniversary season, the Los Angeles premiere of Samsara by Lauren Yee, directed by Rebecca Wear. Opening is set for Saturday, May 11, at 8:30pm. Samsara will play through June 1 at the Met Theatre in Los Angeles.

The cast features (in alphabetical order) Aarón Alonso, Joe Calarco, Nardeep Khurmi, Katie Pelensky, and Pooja Shah. Alternate cast members are (in alphabetical order) Delia Baseman, Zach Brown, Pranshu Mishra, and Andy Stokan. Scenic design is by Amanda Knehans, lighting design is by Matt Johns, costume design is by Vicki Conrad, and sound design is by Dean Harada. The assistant director is Josie Osegueda, and Jhani Randhawa serves as dramaturg. Prop designer is Jer Adrianne Lelliott and the production stage managers are Courtney Rhodes and Edward Khris Fernandez.

In Samsara, Katie and Craig are having a baby-via 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 await the baby's birth, flights of fancy attack them from all sides. Of Samsara, the Chicago Tribune said, "Genuinely moving ... with a laudable awareness of how we sometimes only get one shot at happiness of escape."

Photo Credit: John Klopping

Joe Calarco, Katie Pelensky

Pooja Shah, Aaron Alonso

Joe Calarco, Aaron Alonso, Pooja Shah, Nardeep Khurmi

Joe Calarco, Aaron Alonso, Pooja Shah

Katie Pelensky, Aaron Alonso

Pooja Shah, Nardeep Khurmi