Shiva in the Garden of Eden by Daphne White

Estranged family members, a contested will and an enraged ghost collide in this dysfunctional family play set in a post-pandemic New York. Shiva in the Garden of Eden is the story of an immigrant family unraveling after the death of an unhinged matriarch. Can the center hold when the mother’s ghost barges in and breaks things? Can a husband risk coming out of his wife’s shadow even after her death? And can the black sheep daughter forgive the sister who betrayed her? Shiva explores the price we pay for being true to ourselves in a family that rewards only loyalty.

What is a staged reading? It’s a rehearsed read-through of a script, with actors and movement and emotion, but without a full set or costumes. It gives the playwright a chance to see their words “come alive”. But the most important part of a staged reading? You! As soon as the play is over we’ll have a short talk-back, and here is where we need your help. You will be some of the first people to actually see the living play in person, and your input is invaluable.