Cast of Characters – Romeo and Juliet

Romeo The son and heir of Montague and Lady Montague.
Juliet The daughter of Capulet and Lady Capulet.
Friar Lawrence Priest who secretly marries Romeo and Juliet in hopes that the union might eventually bring peace to Verona.
Nurse Juliet’s faithful confidante and loyal intermediary in Juliet’s affair with Romeo.
Mercutio A family member of the Prince, and Romeo’s close friend.
Tybalt A Capulet, Juliet’s cousin on her mother’s side. Vain, fashionable, supremely aware of courtesy and the lack of it, he becomes aggressive, violent, and quick to draw his sword when he feels his pride has been injured. Once drawn, his sword is something to be feared. He hates Montagues.
Lord Montague Romeo’s father, the patriarch of the Montague clan and bitter enemy of Capulet. At the beginning of the play, he is chiefly concerned about Romeo’s melancholy.
Lady Montague Romeo’s mother, Montague’s wife. She dies of grief after Romeo is exiled from Verona.
Lord Capulet The head of the Capulet family, father of Juliet, husband of Lady Capulet, and enemy, for unexplained reasons, of Montague.
Lady Capulet Juliet’s mother, Capulet’s wife. A woman who herself married young (by her own estimation she gave birth to Juliet at close to the age of fourteen), she is eager to see her daughter marry Paris. She is an ineffectual mother, relying on the Nurse for support.
Paris A kinsman of the Prince, and the suitor of Juliet most preferred by Capulet. Once Capulet has promised him he can marry Juliet, he behaves very presumptuous toward Juliet, acting as if they are already married.
Benvolio Montague’s nephew, Romeo’s cousin and thoughtful friend, he makes a genuine effort to defuse violent scenes in public places, though Mercutio accuses him of having a nasty temper in private. He spends most of the play trying to help Romeo get his mind off Rosaline, even after Romeo has fallen in love with Juliet.
Prince Escalus The Prince of Verona. A kinsman of Mercutio and Paris. As the seat of political power in Verona, he is concerned about maintaining the public peace at all costs.
Balthasar Romeo’s dedicated servant, who brings Romeo the news of Juliet’s death.
Sampson & Gregory Two servants of the house of Capulet, who, like their master, hate the Montagues. At the outset of the play, they successfully provoke some Montague men into a fight.
Abraham Montague’s servant, who fights with Sampson and Gregory in the first scene of the play.
Friar John An associate of Friar Lawrence.
August 30, 2019