DON PEDRO, Prince of Aragon, powerful nobleman, a father figure to soldiers like Benedick and Claudio who have been fighting alongside him.  He is polite, good to others, and smart, but easily sees wrongdoing in others and is therefore quick to be vengeful.  He is also quick to believe worst of others and hasty to take revenge.

 

LEONATO, Governor of Messina, respected and wealthy nobleman, father of Hero and the uncle of Beatrice. He is politically astute and wields his power well. He is humorous and gregarious.  However, he is easily duped and easily humiliated causing him to act rashly and with anger.

 

DON JOHN, Don Pedro's bastard brother and a soldier.  He is the villain of the play, full of melancholy and deceit. Envious of his brother and his brother's stature and power, He relishes being a disrupter of social order.

 

ANTONIO, Brother to Leonato and Beatrice's father, a supportive family man, he acts with diplomacy and tries to keep order in the society.

 

CLAUDIO, a young Lord of Florence and heroic soldier in Don Pedro's army, acclaimed for his fighting. However, he is a highly suspicious person and easily believes rumors of others' bad behavior.

 

BENEDICK, a young Lord of Padua and valiant soldier in Don Pedro's army, from a noble family. He is highly intelligent, humorous, and full of wit, often making jokes and puns.

 

HERO, Daughter to Leonato and cousin of Beatrice. Hero is a naive, gentle, and kind young woman.

 

BEATRICE, Daughter to Antonio and niece to Leonato, she is Hero’s cousin. Beatrice is a dynamic and energetic young woman who pushes back against societal constraints for women.  She is very intelligent and very quick witted, as well as passionate about her family and protecting her cousin.  

 

MARGARET, Waiting-gentlewoman attending on Hero from the lower social strata, she assists Borachio (her lover) and Don John in deceiving Claudio about Hero being unfaithful. 

 

URSULA, Waiting-gentlewoman attending on Hero, from the noble class.  She is intelligent, quick witted, and very loyal.  She believes in the solidarity of women in a society that limits them. 

 

DOGBERRY, the Constable in Charge of the Watch (chief policeman) in Messina.  He is very sincere in fulfilling his duties, which he takes seriously, but his actions are rife with incompetence.  In attempting to impress others with what he believes is his intelligence, his speech is full of malaprops. 

 

VERGES, Deputy Constable of the Watch, he is a bumbling in his actions. A loyal partner of Dogberry, he speaks in a pompous and exaggerated manner.

 

BORACHIO, follower of Don John and a soldier.  He is Margaret's lover, and he works with Don John to make Hero appear unfaithful to Claudio. His name means “drunkard” in Italian.

 

CONRADE, follower of Don John and a soldier.  Deceitful and cunning, he is a manipulative, loyal supporter of Don John.

 

FRIAR FRANCIS a generous, caring, and thoughtful man.  Is committed to resolving difficult situations.  He advises and guides others with integrity.  

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BALTHASAR, a servant and musician in Leonato's palace. Sings the song, “Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more” about accepting men’s infidelity as a part of life. Plays guitar. 

  

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