Character breakdown

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RAINA -- 20s, pretty, smart, charming, and strong-willed. She exudes great energy and charisma. Having lived an entitled life, she has many romantic ideals about love, nobility, courage and beauty, but through the course of the play her schoolgirl naivete gives way to a more mature view of the world.

BLUNTSCHLI -- 30s, witty, highly educated, cool-headed and pragmatic, with a wry amusement at life’s absurdities. He is not unattractive, but his charm and charisma make him all the more appealing. He comes from a wealthy Swiss family and is experienced in the ways of the world. While seemingly happy to be on his own, he realizes through the course of the play that opening his heart to another person will make his life richer.

CATHERINE PETKOFF – Raina’s mother, 40s-60s. Imperiously energetic. Although she is somewhat clownish and provincial, she strives to be a “Viennese lady” and is never less than elaborately dressed, coiffed, and accessorized wearing as much jewelry as possible at all times. Her attempts to keep information from her husband gets her into some farcical scrapes.

LOUKA, a maidservant in the Petkoff household. 20s, pretty. She is a Bulgarian peasant, but is proud, smart, rebellious, and somewhat deviant. As she pushes back against societal class structures, she is determined to make a better life for herself. She views Raina, if not the entire Petkoff family, with contempt, but her greatest contempt is for those who serve willingly.

SERGIUS SARANOFF, Raina’s fiancé, 30s-40s, a tall, romantically handsome man, but comically boastful, bombastic, and vain. Although he is considered a military hero at the beginning of the play, he is in reality not very bright and lacks even basic military skill. As is typical with “braggart soldiers,” he’ll talk loudly about his bravery, courage, and victory without any basis in reality. Although he professes to love Raina, he chases Louka when the opportunity presents itself.

MAJOR PAUL PETKOFF, Raina’s father, 50s, cheerful, excitable, insignificant, unpolished, and naturally unambitious except when it comes to his income and his importance in local society. He seems generally confused by the world but is determined to enjoy life. Though wealthy by Bulgarian standards, he is a somewhat bumbling and inept man, and though he is quite proud of his library, which consists of just a few books, we get the sense that he is not particularly well-read.

NICOLA, head servant in the Petkoff family, 30s-40s. (Also briefly plays a Bulgarian soldier.) He has a cool temperament and the imperturbability of an accountant who has no illusions. Unlike Louka, he is complacent about his station as a servant and values himself on his rank in servility. He is nevertheless ambitious and plans to open his own shop eventually.