Overview

Synopsis

Generational differences collide in Edward Gallardo’s Simpson Street. Michael Rodriguez has just returned home to the family apartment in the Bronx after staying at a psychiatric hospital. He soon clashes with his mother, Lucy, who copes with an empty life through denial, and Lucy’s friend, Rosa, who behaves like she is half her age. Meanwhile, Michael’s sister Angela has just left her husband and spends her time getting attention from men at bars. Determined to escape the same dead-end lives of his family, Michael resolves to leave the Bronx once and for all. Gallardo’s ensemble drama captures the challenges of a Puerto Rican family with a level of authenticity reminiscent of kitchen sink dramas.

Show Information

Category
Play
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1979
Genres
Drama
Settings
Contemporary, Unit/Single Set
Time & Place
An apartment in the Bronx, New York.
Cast Size
small
Orchestra Size
None
Dancing
None
Ideal For
Ensemble Cast, Community Theatre, Diverse Cast, Mostly Female Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Late Teen Characters, Small Cast

Lead Characters

Simpson Street logo

Lucy Rodriguez

Lead, Female, Non-singer

Simpson Street

Simpson Street logo

Michael Rodriguez

Lead, Male, Non-singer

Simpson Street

Simpson Street logo

Rosa Sanchez

Supporting, Female, Non-singer

Simpson Street

Guide Written By:

Kevan Dunkelberg

Kevan Dunkelberg

Oklahoma-based drama teacher, actor and playwright