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Overview

Synopsis

Sharon, a housewife, 50-something, recently divorced, anxious empty-nester, has some trepidation when she advertises for a roommate to share her large home in Iowa City. After all, she’s never had a roommate before. Her alarm increases when she discovers that her new roommate, Robyn, is a pot-smoking vegetarian lesbian from the Bronx, who arrives with a box full of clay voodoo dolls. Robyn, a former entrepreneur and scam artist, 50-something, flees to Iowa, looking to get a fresh start, find some peace and quiet, and prove to her estranged daughter that she can turn her life around. She, in turn, is alarmed to find in Sharon a nosy and persistent new friend who discovers her secrets….notably her secret stash of fake I.D.s and former identities. Fascinated, Sharon convinces an unwilling Robyn to school her in the art of the telephone scam, and blossoms as she discovers her persuasive powers to fool and beguile even the members of her local book group. For a busy, idyllic time, the two women enjoy a friendship while raking in the cash. But when their connection deepens into an attraction, Robyn must make a choice to keep them both safe….. Jen Silverman’s poignant, hilarious one-act The Roommate is a powerful story about personal transformation, life transitions, love, friendship, and identity.

Show Information

Category
Play
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
1
First Produced
2015
Genres
Drama, Dark Comedy
Settings
Contemporary, Simple/No Set, Unit/Single Set
Time & Place
Summertime, Iowa City, a big old house, Contemporary (2010s)
Cast Size
small
Licensor
Samuel French
Ideal For
All-Female Cast, Community Theatre, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Includes Mature Adult Characters

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Sharon

Lead

Female

Spoken

Robyn

Lead

Female

Spoken

Songs

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A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

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