* Indicates roles open to casting regardless of gender identity.

*LEONATO/LEONATA (45+ Gender Neutral)
The Governor. Warm, generous, and deeply devoted to their family.

*ANTONIO/ANTONIA (45+ Gender Neutral)
Leonato's sibling and closest confidant. Practical, loyal, and always ready to support their family.

*BALTHAZAR/ZARA (18-35 Gender Neutral)
Antonio's child. A singer-songwriter whose live music underscores the production. Guitar skills are a plus but not required.

BEATRICE (THIS ROLE IS BEING PLAYED BY KATE HAAS)
Leonato and Antonio's niece. Fiercely intelligent and quick-witted, they have built armor from humor. They have no patience for fools, but beneath the sarcasm is someone deeply capable of love.

HERO (18-35 Female identifying)
Leonato's child. Often underestimated because of their quiet nature, they possess an inner strength that ultimately anchors the play.

MARGARET (18-35 Female identifying)
Antonio's child. Fun-loving, confident, and far more perceptive than people realize. A pivotal player in the story's central misunderstanding.

URSULA (40+ Female identifying)
The family's former nanny, now household administrator. Wise, compassionate, and instrumental in helping love find its way.

DON PEDRO (30-50 Male Identifying)
A respected military leader and master strategist. Charismatic, generous, and accustomed to getting their way...though even the best plans can go awry.

DON JOHN (25-40 Male identifying)
Don Pedro's sibling. The outsider. Bitter, observant, and quietly dangerous. Rather than brute force, they prefer to manipulate others into creating their own downfall.

BENEDICK (THIS ROLE IS BEING PLAYED BY TIM SHAWVER)
An officer in Don Pedro's command. Confident, charming, and convinced they're the smartest person in every room. Their verbal sparring with Beatrice masks a vulnerability they rarely allow anyone to see.

CLAUDIO (18-30 Male identifying)
A young officer in Don Pedro's command. Brave in battle but inexperienced in matters of the heart. Their journey is one of growing from youth into adulthood.

BORACHIO (25-35 Male identifying)
One of Don John's trusted associates. A charming opportunist whose bad decisions set the plot in motion.

*CONRADE/CONNIE (25-35 Gender neutral)
Don John's loyal companion. Dry wit and excellent comic timing are welcome.

*FRIAR FRANCIS (30+ Gender Neutral)
A trusted spiritual leader and longtime friend of Leonato's family. Wise, compassionate, and quietly perceptive, they see the truth when others cannot. The moral center of the play.

*SHERIFF DOGBERRY (30+ Gender Neutral)
The self-important county sheriff. Absolutely convinced they are the smartest lawman in Arizona...despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. One of Shakespeare's great comic roles.

*DEPUTY VERGES (18+ any gender)
Dogberry's long-suffering deputy. They understand more than they let on and somehow keep the sheriff's office functioning.

*SHERIFF'S POSSE - THE WATCH (18+ any gender)
A hilarious ensemble of well-meaning volunteers whose confidence vastly exceeds their competence.