ROOMMATES

FULL-LENGTH PLAY (90 MINUTES). Graham Walker and Dan Carlsen, two best friends and lovers since college, struggle with their desire to be together in a world where marriage to women is the unquestioned norm, and the AIDS epidemic makes living out of the closet a frightening option. Their solution is to marry women, start families, and live as next-door neighbors while continuing their relationship in private....
FULL-LENGTH PLAY (90 MINUTES). Graham Walker and Dan Carlsen, two best friends and lovers since college, struggle with their desire to be together in a world where marriage to women is the unquestioned norm, and the AIDS epidemic makes living out of the closet a frightening option. Their solution is to marry women, start families, and live as next-door neighbors while continuing their relationship in private. This strategy works surprisingly well—until it doesn't. ROOMMATES takes place from 1971 to 1996, a period of sweeping social change.

ROOMMATES is a “standalone” play that may be performed on its own or together with the other two plays (MARRIAGE and AFTERMATH) that make up THE BRONXVILLE TRILOGY, or Marriages of Inconvenience. (ROOMMATES is the first play in the trilogy and includes a PROLOGUE when performed with the other two plays.)
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Reading List

ROOMMATES

Character Information

  • Graham Walker
    starts at 19; ages to 44,
    Any Race/Ethnicity
    ,
    Male
    Articulate and intense investment banker from Westport, CT.
  • Dan Carlsen
    starts at 19; ages to 44,
    Any Race/Ethnicity
    ,
    Male
    Athletic and boyish lawyer from Fargo, ND.
  • Kitty Flemington Walker
    Starts at 28; ages to 41,
    Any Race/Ethnicity
    ,
    Female
    Attractive but shy book editor, then stay-at-home mom.
  • ACTOR #4: Debbie Klein Carlsen, Vita Sackville-West, Lipo Suction
    Debbie Carlsen - Starts at 28, ages to 41; Vita Sackville-West - 45; Lip Suction - indeterminate,
    Any Race/Ethnicity
    ,
    Debbie Carlsen & Vita Sackville-West - Female; Limo Suction - a drag queen (played by a woman)
    Debbie Klein Carlsen – Preppy, funny, and chatty advertising account exec, then stay-at-home mom.

    Vita Sackville-West - English poet, novelist, journalist, diarist, and member of the Bloomsbury Group.

    Lipo Suction - Drag queen (but played by a woman).
  • ACTOR #5: Richard Hamlin, Todd Wood, TV Announcer (Voice), Dr. Manzone
    Richard Hamlin - 35; Todd Wood - 45; Dr. Manzone - 36,
    Any Race/Ethnicity
    ,
    Male
    Richard Hamlin – Flamboyant Yale professor.

    Todd Wood – Oversexed businessman from Dallas.

    TV Announcer (Voice)

    Doctor Manzone - Gay. Overworked.
  • ACTOR #6 - Harold Nicolson, Walter Morgan, Seth Regan, Emcee (Voice), Maitre D'
    Harold Nicolson - 51; Walter Morgan - 37; Seth Regan - 30,
    Any Race/Ethnicity
    ,
    Male
    Harold Nicolson – English politician, diplomat, historian, biographer, diarist, and novelist. Married to Vita Sackville-West.

    Walter Morgan - Law professor.

    Seth Regan - Sly and promiscuous PR writer.

    Emcee (Voice)

    Maitre D’ – Solicitous.