BOY RASPUTIN / TSAROVICH
The Boy, whether as Rasputin or the Tsarovich, is at once innocent, playful and visionary.  He is emblematic of hope and authenticity.  He should be attractive and compelling but he should not seem "perfect in every way."  There should be something awkward or disjointed about his mannerisms (both as the sickly Tsarovich and as the young "seer").  He is much like the "Albatross" in Baudelaire's poem of the same name, elegant master of another world but at times ungainly in this one.  He should seem about twelve years old. 

FELIX
Faithful to his historical counterpart, this Felix is an intellectual, articulate and flamboyant aristocrat.  The wealthiest man in Russia, whose hero was Oscar Wilde, he is the self-proclaimed assassin of Rasputin.    As an emcee, therefore, he should be comic, cynical and engaging.  He is invested, at once, in getting attention and "credit" as he recreates his revenge upon Rasputin, and guarding his privileged position as emcee and narrator, which would seem to indicate a more neutral role.  He should play about 30 years old.

 

 

RASPUTIN
The mature Rasputin is earthy and engaging and at the same time crude, an ambivalent figure. He must be convincing both as an idealistic young man, and as tarnished, worn man entering middle age. He has an impish, puckish quality throughout much of the show, but when he is serious he speaks with naïve conviction.  He represents the force of raw humanity ú with all its vitality, potential for strength and potential for weakness and temptation.

PRASKOVYE
Rasputin's quiet and devoted wife in this show is much like her historical counterpart.  She is "patience personified" but has an earthy sense of reality that makes this a strength rather than a weakness.  She, too, must age throughout the show.
 
MATRIONA
Rasputinís good-hearted but naïve daughter joins him in St. Petersburg, and champions him after his death throughout her adult life.  She should be able to play between 13 and 15.

TSAR
A simple, unremarkable man, the last Romanov emperor was far better at tennis than at politics.  And yet he must be played with quiet dignity.  He can be played as a man who ages from 30 on.

TSARINA
The Tsarina was a high strung, emotional woman, who championed Rasputin.  Unfortunately, she did not often pay attention to his more common-sense recommendations.  She, too, must be played with dignity.  She should be a matronly 30ish.
 
CHORUS MEMBERS
(The following are taken from a core group, the CHORUS' individual members of which can play several parts. They must include four girls young enough to play the TSAR's daughters.)
 
DETECTIVES
In fact, a cast of characters in trench coats were dispatched by the Okhrana (Secret Police), to watch Rasputinís comings and goings at his modest apartment at 64 Gorovskaya.  Many of these became fond of their assignment, who played practical jokes and games with his protectors. "

TANYA 
She is the siren of sexual allure in the show, although she does not play the historically possible (if not fully validated) Irina Danilova.   She serves as a sexy adjunct to "Felix", providing largely vacuous aphorisms with Marilyn Monroe seductiveness ú as well as playing several rolesdirectly related to sexual temptation.  When she is with "Felix," as opposed to in more historical roles, she should wear an outfit that resembles a swimsuit.   In her scenes with "Felix," she should project the personality of a swimsuit model aspiring to be an actress but without the talent to be an actress, nevertheless capable of being very seductive in her failures.   The actress can also play one of the older of the TSAR's daughters, and one of Irina's maids, as well as double up on chorus parts as possible.

Villagers, Beggars, monks, St. Petersburg townspeople,  assassins, also:
Vladimir, Tikhon Portly members of the Russian government seeking to interrogate Felix.  They are largely comic figures in this show.

Irina Danilova
The female aristocrat who first seduces Rasputin.

Varvara
Matrionaís friend in St. Petersburg, who in fact persuaded Matriona to play telephone games with unsuspecting young men, as portrayed in the show.

HOW TO CAST WITH A MINIMUM OF 13:

  • PRASKOVYE, IRINA and the TSARINA are sung by the same performer
  • The TSAR is played by one of the chorus members.
  • Only three of the TSAR's daughters are on stage at once --  the eldest, OLGA, who is "serious and likes to study" can also be "rarely around."
  • VARVARA is played by a chorus member.
  • Use only four DETECTIVES instead of five
  • A smaller cast will result in a different type of stage impression, but given the flexible, non-literal staging and the playful, surreal style of the production, a smaller cast has the potential to actually add power to the core story.  A larger cast will result in more of a spectacle.   If artfully done, a smaller cast will underscore the storyís drama and humanity.

 

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