Rogelio Martinez's work has been produced, workshopped, and commissioned by theaters across the United States. Martinez arrived in this country on the Mariel Boatlift. A self-described "child of the Cold War," he is known for his interest in the period.

After being awarded an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation New Science and Technology Initiative Grant by the Denver Center Theatre Company, Martinez wrote When Tang Met Laika, a post-Cold War space exploration play, which was subsequently produced by the Denver Center. Martinez later said this experience inspired him to bring the Cold War itself to the stage, and he wrote a three-play cycle about the time period.

Martinez worked on a project for Miami New Drama titled The Seven Deadly Sins, created and directed by Michel Hausman. The project was the largest theatrical production allowed by Actors' Equity during the COVID-19 pandemic. It won the Drama League Award for Outstanding Interactive or Socially Distanced Theater.