ON THE ROOF

by Donna Hoke

It’s 1955—post WWII, amid McCarthyism, years before Stonewall. In this dangerous and difficult era, Mitzi operates a cabaret and gay bar where Cruz, a playboy bartender; Levi, an aspiring Broadway composer; Bob, a WWII vet; and Mac, a guy who just wants camaraderie with his Coke, find solidarity in relative safety.

When Andy, an idealistic newcomer with a law degree, discovers their sanctuary, it opens his...

It’s 1955—post WWII, amid McCarthyism, years before Stonewall. In this dangerous and difficult era, Mitzi operates a cabaret and gay bar where Cruz, a playboy bartender; Levi, an aspiring Broadway composer; Bob, a WWII vet; and Mac, a guy who just wants camaraderie with his Coke, find solidarity in relative safety.

When Andy, an idealistic newcomer with a law degree, discovers their sanctuary, it opens his eyes not just to other men like him, but to the oppression they're hiding from. Andy challenges them--particularly Bob, with whom he's found a connection--about their complacency, but the men are unable to do more than fantasize about a different future.

With or without them, Andy's sense of justice propels him out the door to a Mattachine meeting. En route, he's set up by a cop who beats and arrests him. When Andy sacrifices himself to shield his friends, they and Mitzi are forced to figure out what matters to them most as they take the brave first steps toward revolution.

(Note: As ON THE ROOF takes place in a cabaret, it is a play with two and a half diagetic songs,but not a musical.)

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ON THE ROOF

Recommended by

  • Caroline Russell-King: ON THE ROOF by Donna Hoke
    “

    A dazzling play by a gifted playwright

    A dazzling play by a gifted playwright

    ”
  • Ben Moran: ON THE ROOF by Donna Hoke
    “

    I love this play. The first time I read it I laughed, cried, got goosebumps and chills and I felt seen and heard, in a really wonderful way. It's a beautiful and uplifting story, a drama that makes you feel fondness for our predecessors and hope for our future. This is the kind of play that should be produced more often in the mainstream, outside of LGBTQ theaters/venues/festivals. It's a treasure of a piece of theater that effortlessly bridges the gap between willful ignorance and unconditional compassion that so many of the oppressed long for in our societies.

    I love this play. The first time I read it I laughed, cried, got goosebumps and chills and I felt seen and heard, in a really wonderful way. It's a beautiful and uplifting story, a drama that makes you feel fondness for our predecessors and hope for our future. This is the kind of play that should be produced more often in the mainstream, outside of LGBTQ theaters/venues/festivals. It's a treasure of a piece of theater that effortlessly bridges the gap between willful ignorance and unconditional compassion that so many of the oppressed long for in our societies.

    ”
  • Scott Sickles: ON THE ROOF by Donna Hoke
    “

    History often goes unappreciated, no more than in the LGBTQ subculture. It often seems queer people under a certain age have no understanding or appreciation of what it took to get here. That’s why plays like TORCH SONG, BOYS IN THE BAND, and ON THE ROOF are so damn important right now. Hoke creates a vivid portrayal of what gay men in particular (but not exclusively) went through not too long ago. Deeply personal, beautifully individuated, and astonishingly atmospheric, it’s a portal to an oppressive past by which we can evaluate the present and prepare the future.

    History often goes unappreciated, no more than in the LGBTQ subculture. It often seems queer people under a certain age have no understanding or appreciation of what it took to get here. That’s why plays like TORCH SONG, BOYS IN THE BAND, and ON THE ROOF are so damn important right now. Hoke creates a vivid portrayal of what gay men in particular (but not exclusively) went through not too long ago. Deeply personal, beautifully individuated, and astonishingly atmospheric, it’s a portal to an oppressive past by which we can evaluate the present and prepare the future.

    ”
View all 13 recommendations

Character Information

CASTING NOTE: It is best to have two male swings; if you do, split the male swing roles as follows.

MAN #1: Plays customer Harold, drag queen Jai Bobo, George, Joe, Frank

MAN #2: Plays cop, officer, investigator, mobster, Cruz’s father And of course, colleges, community theaters, or anyone else may feel free to cast any or all male and swing roles individually, as they are not doubled for thematic purposes.
  • Levi
    A nebbish who wishes he were a mensch
    40
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American,
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Mitzi
    Owner of Mitzi’s roof, cabaret singer
    50s
    Any
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Bob/Robert
    BOB is a romantic war vet with a limp; in present day, ROBERT is an engaged doctor.
    mid-to-late 30s
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Andy/Andrew
    In 1955, Andy is a privileged innocent trying to come to terms. In present day, ANDREW is Robert’s fiance.
    early-to-mid-twenties
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Cruz
    Bartender, extremely attractive and masculine
    mid-to-late-twenties
    Latinx
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Mac
    Stalwart, knowledgeablem and careful
    50s
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American,
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander,
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Swing Woman
    Plays realtor, customer Alice, fortune teller Myra, reporter
    30s
    Any
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Male Swing(s)--can be one or two
    MAN #1: Plays customer Harold, drag queen Jai Bobo, George, Joe, Frank

    MAN #2: Plays cop, officer, investigator, mobster, Cruz’s father; must be able to believably speak Spanish
    30s
    latinx or white
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic,
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male

Development History

  • Reading, Post-Industrial Productions, 2019
  • Reading, Queens Theatre, 2018
  • Reading, Celebration Theatre, 2016
  • Reading, 5th Wall Productions, 2016
  • Reading, Buffalo United Artists, 2015

Production History

  • Community Theater, Song "Winds of Change" performed as part of Rainbow Project, 2019

Awards

  • Carlo Annoni Prize
    Finalist
    2021