Cast of Hamlet
MAJOR CHARACTERS
Hamlet the Prince of Denmark – Jimmy Brooks
Claudius King of Denmark – male only; requires a SEASONED actor; Uncle to Hamlet; ambitious;
unknown to queen or kingdom, he killed his brother and then took his throne and queen.
Gertrude Queen of Denmark – Female only; requires a SEASONED actress; Mother to Hamlet; beautiful;
shallow; loves her son; is completely taken in by Claudius.
Horatio – Male only; Best Friend of Hamlet; a noble; only one to whom Hamlet confides; the ideal of a
friend; warm-hearted, true and judicious.
Polonius - Lord Chamberlain of the court; father of Laertes and Ophelia – Maddie Tinsley
Laertes – male only; must have fencing background; son of Polonius; brother of Ophelia; a young gallant
of the court; hot-headed
Ophelia – female only; very feminine; fragile; goes mad in the end; in love with Hamlet; daughter of
Polonius; sister of Laertes.
SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
Ghost of King Hamlet – male only; a spirit come from the grave to right his murder. Former husband of
Gertrude; father of Hamlet; brother of Claudius.
Rosencrantz - male can be male or female actor; courtiers and of an age with Hamlet. Willingly work
with the King to manipulate Hamlet; will for the sake of their personal aggrandizement and influence to
become guilt instruments of another criminal’s design.
Guildenstern - male can be male or female actor; courtiers and of an age with Hamlet. Willingly work
with the King to manipulate Hamlet; will for the sake of their personal aggrandizement and influence to
become guilt instruments of another criminal’s design.
Barnardo - male can be male or female actor; soldier; loyal to Hamlet and Denmark.
Marcellus - male can be male or female actor; soldier; loyal to Hamlet and Denmark.
Gravedigger - male can be male or female actor; must have brilliant comic timing; one of the few lighthearted roles in the play.
MINOR CHARACTERS
Reynaldo – Servant of Polonius
Francisco - male can be male or female actor; soldier; loyal to Hamlet and Denmark.
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Osric - male can be male or female actor; a courtier, ridiculed by Hamlet and Horatio for his foppish
ways.
Other Grave Digger - - male can be male or female actor; comic timing a must
First player - male can be male or female actor; must have beautiful speaking voice; a member of a
troupe of actors who come to perform in the play within the play
Player king - male can be male or female actor; must have beautiful speaking voice; a member of a
troupe of actors who come to perform in the play within the play
Player queen – female only; must have beautiful speaking voice; a member of a troupe of actors who
come to perform in the play within the play
Lucianus - male can be male or female actor; must have beautiful speaking voice; a member of a troupe
of actors who come to perform in the play within the play
BIT PARTS
Messenger – male can be male or female actor a servant to the King
Sailors (2) - male can be male or female actor; bring word of Hamlet
Doctor - male can be male or female actor
First Ambassador of England - male can be male or female actor
NO LINES
Background actors - courtiers mostly females
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