Hillcrest Theatre

TROILUS & CRESSIDA

Character Breakdown

MEN

TROILUS: Trojan son of King Priam. Approximately 20 years old.  Both a lover and a fighter.  Handsome, youthful, and athletic.  Prone to exclaiming dramatic proclamations of love as well as throwing temper-tantrums.  Very dramatic. A fierce and strong warrior as well.

 ULYSSES: The intellectual leader of the Greeks.  Approximately 50 years old.  Smart and scheming, he gives some of Shakespeare’s greatest war strategy speeches.  Always a step ahead of everyone else.  Doesn’t fight, but manipulates everyone else into doing what he thinks is best. Must be a master at using Shakespeare’s language.

 THERSITES: A cowardly Greek go-between who spends his time mocking all of the other characters in the show (most often Achilles, Ajax and Patroclus) for their dishonorable acts, but proves to be just as dishonorable himself.  Very cruel and biting in his accusations of other characters which leads to him getting beaten often.  A humorous, yet dark character.  Mousey and annoying. Anywhere from 18-35 years old.

 HECTOR: Oldest son of the Trojan King Priam.  Approximately 30 years old.  Troy’s greatest and most valorous warrior.  Overly concerned with honor.  Must be a large, heroic and strong presence on stage. Very physical, yet a cool-headed thinker when everyone else starts to freak out.

ACHILLES: The famous Greek warrior. Approximately 30 years old.  Known to cause death whenever he fights.  Must be a large, epic, muscular actor. Although very fierce, he is also very prideful, and spends much of his time in his tent with his cousin Patroclus on protest…until his fury is unleashed, then y’all better watch out…

AGAMEMNON: The Greek war general. 40-50 years old. Authoritative and in charge.  Must have a kingly presence and physicality without appearing too young.  He does lots of discussing war, but not a lot of fighting it.

DIOMEDES: A Greek warrior. 20-30 years old.  Mysterious and attractive.  Ends up seducing Cressida at the end of the play, but his motives need to be ambiguous and suspicious.  Dark and quiet, yet dangerous and intriguing.

PARIS: Trojan son of King Priam. Older than Troilus but younger than Hector.  Aproximately 25 years old.  His desire for Helen is the cause of the entire war, yet he seems to not care that thousands of men are dying so that he can have the object of his desire.  A lustful, vain, cocky pretty boy.  Also an athletic warrior who fights in the wars at times.  Seems to have a good relationship with his brother Troilus, and a very superficial, physical relationship with Helen.

AJAX: A Greek warrior. Approximately 25-30 years old. A dumb brute.  Must be a larger, muscular actor who can play comedy as well.  He is a little slow on the uptake, but quick to fight and beat people up.

PATROCLUS: A Greek warrior. Approximately 20 years old.  Achilles’ much-beloved cousin.  Physically, must be an athletic warrior. Most importantly, he needs to be able to create a believable brotherly relationship with Achilles.

NESTOR: An old Greek war official.  Approximately 70-80 years old.  Is respected by the Greeks mainly because of his age and experience.  Sits on the war council, but doesn’t do any fighting.

CALCHAS: Cressida’s father.  Approximately 50 years old.  A Trojan who has defected to the Greek side.  Wants to get his daughter on the Greek side as well.

PRIAM: King of Troy. Approximately 60 years old.  We see him mostly in the context of a father trying to mediate between his children.  Must be a regal authority.

MENELAUS: A Greek war official.  Approximately 40 years old.  Agamemnon’s brother.  Trying to gain back his honor and his wife is the entire reason for the Greek involvement in the war, yet he stays quiet through much of the play, serving mostly as the butt of jokes.  Sits on the war council, but also does some fighting as well.

ANTENOR: A Trojan warrior.  A much-valued warrior who has been taken prisoner by the Greeks.  Doesn’t say anything but must look like an awesome warrior.

MALE ENSEMBLE:

Most will be warriors either on the Trojan or Greek side.  Trojan warriors will need to be athletic and fit.  Greek warriors will need to be able to look imposing.  All warriors will be doing a lot of stage combat and fighting.  Some will double as the Myrmidons who need to be large and scary.  Some will double as Helen’s servant-men.

 There will probably be a smaller group of men’s ensemble members who will not be warriors, but rather older Greek war council members.

WOMEN

CRESSIDA: A young Trojan woman. Approximately 20 years old. Youthful and beautiful, yet smart and well-spoken.  Although her plans are usually well thought-out and clever, she ends up succumbing to her passions and is easily swayed by young, attractive men.

PANDARUS: Cressida’s cousin.  Anywhere from 25-40 years old. For some reason, she is dedicated to getting Troilus and Cressida together and is fairly emotionally invested in that goal.  Must be able to be a mature presence, yet also bring the comic relief to the play through extreme tactics.

 AENEAS: A Trojan war messenger.  20-30 years old.  Hector’s main assistant, she is a trusted voice on both sides of the field and is usually chosen to relay messages back and forth between both sides.  She is also a respected fighter.

 CASSANDRA: Daughter of the Trojan King Priam. 20-30 years old.  Considered by Paris and Troilus to be crazy, she is generally known as a prophetess and warns her family of the impending doom ahead.  Must be a teeny bit loopy, but mostly concerned and a bit dramatic.

 HELEN: The face that launched a thousand ships. 20-30 years old.  Must be beautiful, regal, and striking.  In many of her scenes, she must be able to gain the audience’s admiration by just standing there.  With Paris, she is also vain, flippant and unconcerned with the all of the death being caused over her.

 ALEXANDRA: Trojan servant to Cressida. Anywhere from 15-35 years old.  A trusted confidant who is always knowledgeable of the latest news from the war.

 ANDROMACHE: Wife of the Trojan hero Hector.  30-40 years old.  A loving and concerned wife who begs Hector not to go to war.

 TROILUS’ SERVANT: A young servant girl who attends on Troilus and perhaps other Trojans.  12-20 years old.

 FEMALE ENSEMBLE:

Some will be Trojan dancers as well as in Helen’s entourage.  These must all be good movers with striking physicality. 

Others will be servants and attendants on the various soldiers and war officials.