Maya is a young Mexican woman who makes the dangerous trek across the U.S. border to work with her sister Rosa cleaning Office Building 646 in downtown LA. There, she meets Mr. Perez, the abusive boss of Angel Cleaners. A relentless bully, Perez harasses, belittles and manipulates the janitors, denying them basic rights and protections.
Sam is an organizer from Justice for Janitors who has given up all hope of infiltrating building 646 and unionizing the workers – that is, until he meets Maya and knows that she’s the one who can change the system. Maya believes in the cause and she’s a natural leader, undeterred by conflict and led by an uncompromising inner compass.
But there’s resistance. Jobs are in the balance and people are afraid. Among them, Rosa, who has to support two children and an ailing husband. Alliances are formed, backs are stabbed, and the sister’s relationship is brought to the brink as the workers, led by Maya, risk everything to take on the corporate power structure in their fight for equity.
A book musical with grit, humor, heart and a contemporary American pop score, BREAD AND ROSES asks the question: must the American dream come at the price of humanity?
Inspired by true events, BREAD AND ROSES is a musical adaptation of the film by director Ken Loach and screenwriter Paul Laverty about a group of Los Angeles janitors who rise up against their corrupt bosses and attempt to unionize.