Character Breakdown
Martin Vanderhof (Grandpa)
The patriarch of a delightfully eccentric family, Grandpa is Penny’s father and Alice and Essie’s grandfather. He is a pleasantly unconventional old man who has never paid his income tax because he doesn’t believe in it, feeling that the government wouldn’t know what to do with the money anyway. He lives his life by the philosophy, “Don’t do anything that you’re not going to enjoy.” He fills his time by goes to circuses, commencement ceremonies, and collecting snakes. He is the main male character in the play.
Penelope Sycamore
Penny is Essie and Alice’s mother, Paul’s wife, and Grandpa’s daughter. She is writing 11 plays at the same time and also paints. These hobbies make her terribly happy but, unfortunately, she is terrible at both. She is a loving mother and wife with a generous spirit who is constantly concerned with the welfare of her family, her main goal being to make certain everyone is happy.
Essie Carmichael
Essie is Penny and Paul’s daughter, a cheerful, child-like creature who dances everywhere she goes ‒ literally. She makes candy that Ed sells for her but dreams of being a ballerina. Despite eight years of study with Boris Kolenkhov, she is not a good dancer.
Rheba
The African-American maid and cook, Rheba is closer to being a member of the family than she is a servant. She is extremely dependable and devoted and is dating Donald.
Paul Sycamore
Essie and Alice’s father and Penny’s husband, Paul is a tinkerer who manufactures fireworks in the basement with the assistance of Mr. DePinna. He also enjoys making various creations with erector sets.
Mr. DePinna
Somewhat of a nutty but good-natured fellow, he arrived one day years ago to deliver the ice and has stayed ever since. He helps Paul build fireworks, and moonlights as a model for Mrs. Sycamore’s paintings.
Ed Carmichael
Essie’s husband is a xylophone player, and he distributes his wife’s candies. Ed has a printing press that he employs for his own amusement, turning out the nightly dinner menus for the family and little sayings that he places in the boxes of Essie’s candy. He also likes to make masks.
Donald
Rheba’s African-American boyfriend is a genial, unassuming gentleman who is always happy to chip in and help. He and Rheba have a loving, respectful and playful relationship.
Alice Sycamore
Paul and Penny’s daughter ‒ Essie’s sister ‒ is as close to what would be considered a “normal” person as this family gets. She has an office job and is dating the boss’s son, the wealthy Tony Kirby. Although she loves her family dearly, she’s nervous about Tony and his family meeting her unconventional clan. She also tends to be a pessimist.
Tony Kirby
A jovial young man who sees past the eccentricities of the Sycamores and admires the love they have for one another, and for life. In fact he’s rather envious of their joyful existence, his own family being terribly proper and not all that happy. He cares deeply for Alice and questions her misgivings about her own family.
Boris Kolenkhov
A blustery Russian who escaped to America shortly before the revolution, he is very concerned with world politics and the deterioration of Russia. He is friends with many ex-Russian leaders including the exiled Grand Duchess Olga Katrina. He is Essie’s ballet instructor and although he realizes she’s terrible, her enjoyment of the dance keeps him working with her. He has a very renaissance attitude, liking the Greeks and Romans, questioning society, and maintaining strong opinions of world affairs.
The Grand Duchess Olga Katrina
One of the Grand Duchesses of Russia before the revolution, she has been forced to flee to America where she has found work as a waitress in Childs Restaurant. Her Uncle Sergei, the Grand Duke, is now an elevator man. Actually, Childs may be a good fit for her as she loves to cook.
Gay Wellington
A washed-up actress Penny met on a bus and invited home to read one of her plays. She is a heavy drinker who passes out shortly after arriving at the Sycamore’s home.
Anthony W. Kirby
Tony’s father is a very successful, proper man who secretly despises his job. His hobby is raising expensive orchids. He is also a member of the Harvard Society, the Union Club, the National Geographic Society, and the Racquet Club.
Miriam Kirby
Tony’s mother is extremely stuffy, prim and arrogant. Her hobby, so she says, is spiritualism but it’s really just the latest fad. She is, perhaps, mean spirited, but certainly not spiritual.
Wilbur C. Henderson
A stern employee of the IRS who arrives to collect the tax money owed by Grandpa. Enough said.
3 G-Men
Agents who come to investigate Ed, mistaking some of his innocent candy-box quotes for communist propaganda.
|
Download Application