Characters and Actors (Playing ages are an indication only but also illustrate the age relative to other roles). Race is an issue in the play.

Men – 2 men (male identifying)

Dougie – age mid 50’s, White

Dougie is very excited to host his old boyhood friend, Allen who he hasn’t seen in 30 years. Other important notes about Dougie - He has Cancer – began with melanoma, then liver and lung concerns, kidney removed, treatments with medication including pain relief. Melanoma likely from being an outside worker like our 416 union in TO, losing his hair so wears a toupee when wants to look good,  he doesn’t like the way the pain pills make him feel so avoids them, he is still recovering from treatments as he must change his dressing, he has difficulty bending- hard for him to clean the floor or pick things up, he doesn’t want any further interventions and figures he has 2 more years, he has OCD – shoes lined up, home spotless, shirt pressed, -since he was a teen. He married Cheryl probably in 1983 – young (20 yrs old) and maybe Cheryl was pregnant – Alcohol and smoking – both have been a problem, he still smokes when Sandy isn’t around, he craves them and he regrets it -yuck! Alcohol a part of social life (liver and kidneys -) Cheryl removes a case of beer to prevent too much party consumption. He does drink. He loves music – loves dancing and reacting to music. It focuses him and takes him away from his head. Music very important – lots of 70’s… (no sense of fiddle music!) He loves his daughter Sandy and worries about her.  He cares for Cheryl – He was a very active kid – called Sparky (ADHD)

The actor will need to be comfortable dealing with trauma, illness, dancing well with Cheryl, and initiating moments of intimacy with Allen, his friend. Physicality is important – Dougie moves, his OCD makes him line up his shoes while carrying many things!

Allen – age mid 50’s, Black

Allen has returned home after 30 years away to speak up and to ask Dougie for his voice as well.

A black man that lived with the nickname of Charky for Charcoal throughout his early life in Sydney. Though Baptist, he got to know Sparky when his father did yard work at St. Margaret’s Church. Dougie and Allen became friends and shared adventures and being soldiers. He is not married and does not have children and is a tenured professor of English at U of T. He was inspired by Edward P. Jones – a Black American writer of short stories – 2 collections and one novel who lectures at universities and publishes. This is much like Allen’s career. He is not much of a dancer and Allen describes himself as being addicted to conquests – any woman and then nothing. Allen needs to tell the truth and needs Dougie to as well. Allen knows he is regarded as just the black kid. Allen has the proof about New Magic Valley Fun Town.

The actor will need to be comfortable dealing with the trauma, language and reacting to moments of intimacy initiated by Dougie.

Women – 2 women (female identifying)

Cheryl – age mid 50’s, White

Cheryl is Dougie’s ex-wife. They have been separated for over 15 years and yet they have not divorced. She dyes her hair and it is likely too dark for her complexion. Other important notes about Cheryl: -high school graduate – no post-secondary, works as an admin for the city of Sydney, a practicing Catholic, attends Mass, she lives in the matrimonial home, she cares for Dougie – she worries about his care, progress and diagnosis, she takes him to appointments and runs errands for him,  is confused by her daughter Sandy’s needs – worried that she will waste her education, Cheryl has been trying to understand Dougie forever – why he does what he does, she loves music and dancing – shared time with Dougie, Cheryl also drinks – likes to party but in moderation – when she is ready to go home, she wants to go, and makes good Mac and Cheese with Bacon. DANCES well with Dougie

Sandy – age about 30, White – Cheryl and Dougie’s daughter

Sandy is trying to understand what she needs to do to move forward, to finish her thesis, to sort out what she wants, what she wants to do. She has moved home for now and lives with her mom, Cheryl. At about 14 years old struck by depression and anxiety – this was the time when her parents were separating or on the road to it. She is creative –a writer and Dougie is very proud of her poetry and a poem she wrote for him. She has attended post-secondary schools and working on her thesis at Guelph University – though lives in Toronto, subject of her thesis is the Canadian poet and writer, Gwendolyn MacEwen who died very young from alcoholism 1987, MacEwen’s father also died of alcoholism. Sandy has stopped taking her medication because she does not like how it makes her feel which allows her to drink alcohol…She is so excited to meet Allen – different conversations than with her mom or Aunt Brenda or her dad. Sandy loves her dad – could see that he was sad, and that something made him sad. Sandy is attracted to and flirts with Allen.