One Hot Kitchen by David Caudle

SYNOPSIS:
A slice-and-dice of Manhattan life, as it plays out in five studio apartments stacked one atop the other in a Hell’s Kitchen walk-up. The characters’ connections to the world and each other are as tenuous and uncertain as the rickety fire escape that links their separate abodes.

CHARACTER and SCENE BREAKDOWN (All roles can be played by as few as five actors)

Circled in Red, Parts One and Two
ALICIA, 35. The landlord’s daughter.
EUSTACE, 30. A prospective tenant from the Midwest.
SHARON, 28. Wife of Eustace.
CARP, 60s. A homeless Viet Nam veteran.
MAN, any age. Another prospective tenant.

Jolly Roger
ROGER, 36. A straight-acting gay man.
SASHA, 32. Roger’s lover.

A Part
GILBERT, 22. A young, struggling actor.
JALMA, 38. Gilbert’s hermitic roommate.

Belgian Waffling
JANE, 34. A sexy, take-charge woman.
CLANCY, 35. Jane’s married afternoon delight.
THE BELGIAN, 30. A tourist who speaks very little English.
DUANE, 39. Jane’s push-over brother.

Helena Handbasket
HELENA, 40. A lonely, fragile woman.
WILL, 42. Helena’s unresponsive husband.