Shyama Iyer
writer - composer - choreographer
Full Length Works
Book/Music/Lyrics by Shyama Iyer
A Game of Dice reimagines the Mahabharata's pivotal gambling match as a modern musical about power, tradition and human dignity. When Yudhishthira's addiction leads him to wager everything—including his wife Draupadi—in a fateful game against his cousins, both families must confront how their obsession with winning has cost them their humanity.
2W | 8M
Book/Music/Lyrics by Shyama Iyer
The Sound of An Anklet is loosely based off of the Sillapatikaram, an ancient Tamil Epic Poem written in the fifth century CE. In this adaptation, New York based newlyweds Kruthi and Karthik’s love is tested by a dazzling cabaret performer named Madison, Karthik's growing insecurities, and Kruthi’s ever expanding fantasies.
2W | 1M | 4 Ensemble
Music/Lyrics by Shyama Iyer
This song cycle combines research into ancient Indian aesthetics (Bhava-Rasa Theory) and musical modes (Carnatic Ragas) with American musical theater, creating a fun interactive evening in which audience members are given beads that indicate what they feel as each song commences.
4 performers
Written/Choreographed by Shyama Iyer
Journeys is a dance-play about finding home. Based off of diary entries made by Shyama's mother in 1997, the choreography tells the story of the various emotions that her mother faced as she journeyed from India to the United States.
Solo Dancer
Written/Choreographed by Shyama Iyer
A Kurathi (Tamil tribal fortune-teller) helps a heartbroken woman by performing stories of female characters from classical Indian plays. With each telling, she challenges the heroine to break free from stereotypical roles and choose her own path forward.
Solo dancer