Character Breakdowns
MSU Tent Theatre 2024
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical | Crimes of the Heart | Mystic Pizza
"Beautiful: The Carole King Musical"
Character Descriptions:
Carole King
Female identifying, age 20-35. Vocal range: Eb3 to Eb5. AEA.
An aspiring singer/songwriter. A unique, appealing, funny and vulnerable girl from a Jewish family in Brooklyn. Talented, good natured, unassuming and often the peace maker in difficult situations. A reluctant star with no pretense and a passion for music. A powerful, distinctive voice in the styling of Carole King. Piano skills preferred but not required. Vocal range: Eb3 to Eb5.
Gerry Goffin
Male identifying, age 20-35. Vocal range: D3 to A4, baritone/tenor. AEA.
Carole's boyfriend, songwriting partner and eventual husband. Innately sympathetic, wounded and tortured. An ambitious artist always striving for more. Sings well. Vocal range D3 to A4, baritone/tenor.
Barry Mann
Male identifying, age 20-35. Vocal range: C3 to A4, tenor.
A songwriter who becomes romantically involved with Cynthia. He is good natured, appealing and neurotic. Ambitious, but likeable. Comedic with a great voice. Vocal range: C3 to A4, tenor.
Cynthia Weil
Female identifying, age 20-35. Vocal range G3 to E5, strong belt.
A songwriter who becomes romantically involved with Barry. Carole's best friend. She is sophisticated, smart and chic with a quick wit. Although self-confident and sarcastic, she is also extremely likeable. Strong comedic timing. Vocal range: G3 to E5, strong belt.
Don Kirschner
Male identifying, age 30-50. Vocal range: A2 to C#4, baritone.
An influential music publisher and producer. He is a fast talking, energetic force of nature. Powerful, direct and sometimes intimidating, but he has a real affinity for his writers and artists. A hit maker. Sings well. Vocal range: A2 to C#4, baritone.
Genie Klein
Female identifying, age 40-50.
Carole's Jewish mother. Once an aspiring playwright, she has been broken down by life and her husband's infidelity. Protective of Carole and unforgiving of her husband's mistakes. Sings well.
Neil Sedaka / Righteous Brother / Lou Adler / Ensemble
Male identifying, age 20-35. Vocal range: F3 to F5, tenor.
Able to play a variety of characters, including Neil Sedaka, singer-songwriter; Bobby Hatfield, high voice Righteous Brother; and Lou Adler, a record producer. Vocal range: F3 to F5, tenor.
Nick / Righteous Brother / Ensemble
Male identifying, age 20-35. Vocal range: F2 to G#4, baritone.
Able to play a variety of characters, including Nick, Carole's love interest; Bill Medley, lower voice of the Righteous Brothers; Dick Clark; and others. Vocal range: F2 to G#4, baritone.
Marilyn Wald / Gerry's Girlfriend / Connie Francis / Ensemble
Female identifying, age 20-30. Vocal range: G3 to C5.
Able to play a variety of characters, including Marilyn Wald, a singer; Gerry's girlfriend; recording artist Connie Francis; and other ensemble tracks. Vocal range: G3 to C5.
Betty / Ensemble
Female identifying, age 20-30.
Able to play a variety of characters. Carole's childhood friend and other ensemble roles.
Drifter #1 / Ensemble
Male identifying, age 20-30. Black, member of the doo-wop group The Drifters.
Drifter #2 / Ensemble
Male identifying, age 20-30. Black, member of the doo-wop group The Drifters.
Drifter #3 / Ensemble
Male identifying, age 20-30. Black, member of the doo-wop group The Drifters.
Drifter #4 / Ensemble
Male identifying, age 20-30. Black, member of the doo-wop group The Drifters.
Shirelle #1 / Little Eva / Ensemble
Female identifying, age 20-30. Black, member of the pop group The Shirelles; Little Eva sings "Locomotion." Vocal range: G3 to E5.
Shirelle #2 / Janelle Woods / Ensemble
Female identifying, age 20-30. Black, member of the pop group The Shirelles; Janelle Woods, a singer. Vocal range: G#3 to D5.
Shirelle #3 / Uptown Soloist / Ensemble
Female identifying, age 20-30. Black, member of the pop group The Shirelles. Vocal range: G#3 to D5.
Shirelle #4 / Lucille / Ensemble
Female identifying, age 20-30. Black, member of the pop group The Shirelles; Lucille is Don Kirshner's secretary. Vocal range: G#3 to D5.
"Crimes of the Heart"
Character Descriptions:
Lenny
Female identifying, age 30. Any ethnicity.
The oldest McGrath sister, caretaker of her Granddaddy, homely, not worldly.
Meg
Female identifying, age 27. Any ethnicity.
The middle McGrath sister, the black sheep of the family with a wild side. Left home to pursue a singing career but failed. Role requires singing.
Babe
Female identifying, age 24. Any ethnicity.
The youngest McGrath sister, vivacious and sunny on the outside, but deeply troubled on the inside. Out of jail on bail for shooting her abusive lawyer husband.
Chick
Female identifying, age 29. Any ethnicity.
The sisters' first cousin who has claimed her place in small town society and is very concerned with appearances.
Barnette
Male identifying, age 26. Any ethnicity.
Babe's lawyer, awkward and falling in love with Babe while trying to bring down her husband.
Doc
Male identifying, age 30. Any ethnicity.
Meg's old boyfriend, quiet, stoic, walks with a slight limp from a wild night he and Meg shared in a hurricane.
"Mystic Pizza"
Character Descriptions:
Leona Silvia
Female identifying, age 50-65. Any ethnicity. Vocal range: A3 to D#5, mezzo. AEA.
The immigrant owner of Mystic Pizza and guardian of the "Mystic Pizza" special sauce. A sarcastic, wry, yet loving mother figure for Jo, Daisy and Kat. Nearing retirement. Pop/Rock vocals. Vocal range: A3-D#5, mezzo.
Josephina Barboza (Jo/Jojo)
Female identifying, 20s. Any ethnicity. Vocal range: F#3 to D#5, mezzo.
The daughter of immigrants. She is vibrant, fast-talking, emotional, curious, ambitious, always up for a laugh and loyal. Pop/Rock vocals. Vocal range: F#3 to D#5, mezzo.
Katherine (Kat) Arujo
Female identifying, 20s. Any ethnicity. Vocal range: F#3 to E5, mezzo.
The daughter of immigrants. Daisy's kid sister. The apple of her mother's eye. A goofy, playful, desperate romantic and aspiring astronomer on the cusp of the rest of her life. Pop/Rock vocals. Vocal range: F#3 to E5, mezzo.
Daisy Arujo
Female identifying, 20s. Any ethnicity. Vocal range: G3 to E5, mezzo.
The daughter of immigrants. A perfect combination of insecurity and arrogance; the seductive life of the party when she needs to be, an introspective dreamer when she doesn't. A pain in her mother's ass. Pop/Rock vocals. Vocal range: G3 to E5, mezzo.
Bill Montijo
Male identifying, 20s. Any ethnicity. Vocal range: C3 to A#4, tenor.
The son of immigrants. A burly yet warm, sensitive lobsterman and lead singer/guitarist in The Lobster Rolls, the local town band, who wants nothing more than to marry Jo and raise a family in Mystic, CT. Acoustic or electric guitar playing a plus. Pop/Rock vocals. Vocal range: C3 to A#4, tenor.
Charles Gordon Windsor, Jr.
Male identifying, 20s. White ethnicity. Vocal range: C3 to A4, tenor.
A country-club, sweater-vest-wearing, Porsche-driving, law-school-drop-out cad, with a surprising capacity for true love. Vocal range: C3 to A4, tenor.
Tim Travers
Male identifying, age 30-35. Any ethnicity. Vocal range: C3 to A4, tenor.
An easy-going, Yale-graduate architect with a secret. Pop/Rock vocals. Vocal range: C3 to A4, tenor.
Lorna / Serena Windsor / Ensemble
Female identifying, 20s. White ethnicity.
Able to play various roles including Lorna, a snobby college girl; Serena Windsor, Charlie's sister, a vapid country-club goer; and others. Strong Pop/Rock vocals. Strong mover with jazz dance skills and the ability to create vibrant characters through movement.
Debbie / Nikki / Teresa / Mariana / Ensemble
Female identifying, 20s. Any ethnicity.
Able to play various roles including Debbie, a snobby college girl; Mariana, an immigrant oyster shucker; Teresa, an immigrant housekeeper; Nikki Travers, Tim's wife; and others. Strong Pop/Rock vocals. Strong mover with jazz dance skills and the ability to create vibrant characters through movement.
Mrs. Arujo / Ensemble
Female identifying, 40s. Any ethnicity.
Able to play various roles including Mrs. Arujo, Daisy and Kat's immigrant mother; and others. Strong Pop/Rock vocals. Strong mover with jazz dance skills and the ability to create vibrant characters through movement. Likely understudy for Leona as well.
Aunt Bonnie / Polly Windsor / Ensemble
Female identifying, 30s+. Any ethnicity.
Able to play various roles including Aunt Bonnie, an immigrant oyster shucker; Mrs. Polly Windsor, Charlie's mother; and others. Strong Pop/Rock vocals. Strong mover with jazz dance skills and the ability to create vibrant characters through movement.
Nick / Priest / Mickey / Ensemble
Male identifying, 28-30s. Any ethnicity.
Able to play various roles including a priest; Nick, a Planetarium employee; Mickey, a pizza shop regular; and others. Strong Pop/Rock vocals. Strong mover with jazz dance skills and the ability to create vibrant characters through movement.
Frank / Steamer Windsor / Ensemble
Male identifying, 20s. Any ethnicity.
Able to play various roles including Frank, a warm, friendly guitarist in the local band by night and an oyster shucker at the docks by day; Steamer Windsor, Charlie's younger brother; and others. Strong Pop/Rock vocals. Strong mover with jazz dance skills and the ability to create vibrant characters through movement.
Mr. Chuck Windsor, Sr. / Fireside Gourmet / Ensemble
Male identifying, 40s. Any ethnicity.
Able to play Charlie's demanding father and others. Strong Pop/Rock vocals. Strong mover with jazz dance skills and the ability to create vibrant characters through movement.
Mr. Barboza / Lionel / Lou / Ensemble
Male identifying, 30s+ to play older. Any ethnicity.
Able to play various roles including Mr. Barboza, Jo's immigrant father; Lionel, a cheerful real estate agent; Lou, Bill's friend; and others. Strong Pop/Rock vocals. Strong mover with jazz dance skills and the ability to create vibrant characters through movement.
George / Alfie / Waiter / Ensemble
Male identifying, 20s. Any ethnicity.
Able to play various roles including George, a snobby graduate student; Alfie, a townie doofus; a waiter; and others. Strong Pop/Rock vocals. Strong mover with jazz dance skills and the ability to create vibrant characters through movement.