Charlie Baker
Meet Charlie Baker, the "foreigner" whose arrival in Georgia sets the stage for the unfolding drama. This Englishman in his late forties embarks on a weekend escapade with his friend, the vibrant Staff Sergeant Froggy LeSueur. Initially, Charlie is a wallflower, burdened by the looming specter of his wife's anticipated demise due to infidelity. As a proofreader for an English science fiction magazine, Charlie deems himself insipid and ordinary, yearning for a personality that bursts with life. At the play’s onset, Charlie is so enveloped in sadness and shyness that he shuns interaction with anyone around him.

Yet, when Froggy introduces him as a "foreigner" incapable of comprehending or speaking English, a transformation begins. As Charlie overhears Reverend David and Owen Musser's nefarious scheme to convert Betty's lodge into a Ku Klux Klan meeting hub, he taps into a reservoir of untapped potential. Rallying Betty, Catherine, and Ellard, Charlie orchestrates a daring stand against these dark forces. In thwarting David and Owen’s villainy, Charlie uncovers leadership abilities, discovers love, and finally embraces the spirited persona he long desired.

Reverend David Marshall Lee

The duplicitous Reverend David Marshall Lee, betrothed to Catherine, emerges as a primary antagonist alongside Owen. Under the guise of concern for Betty and her faltering business, David plots to seize her lodge, intending to transform it into the Klan’s Tilghman County base. Beneath a mask of friendliness, sincerity, and patience, he deftly maneuvers through his deceitful plan. However, in Act II, Charlie’s clever provocations begin to unveil David’s malevolent essence.

Staff Sergeant Froggy LeSueur

Staff Sergeant Froggy LeSueur, a spirited demolition expert from the British Army, ushers his friend Charlie Baker to Georgia for a brief getaway. With each visit to the United States, Froggy has developed a close friendship with Betty Meeks, harboring genuine concern for her wellbeing. When Charlie pleads for solitude, Froggy finds himself torn between his allegiances to Betty and Charlie; thus, he devises the ruse to present Charlie as a "foreigner." His cunning plan aims to captivate Betty with an exotic visitor while granting Charlie the peace he seeks. Froggy, cheerfully clad in army fatigues, speaks with a lively Cockney accent and radiates exuberance.

Betty Meeks

Betty Meeks, a septuagenarian widow, presides over the fishing lodge and resort where the play transpires. Ever since her husband passed away, she has struggled to sustain her business, oblivious to the schemes of David and Owen to wrest control. Her heart flutters at the prospect of hosting a "real, live foreigner." With her pronounced Georgia drawl, Betty converses with Charlie as though he is deaf, believing that louder and slower speech will bridge the language divide.

Owen Musser

The malevolent Owen Musser, entrenched in local Georgia, is the henchman aiding Reverend David Lee’s sinister machinations. Appointed as the property inspector for Tilghman County, Owen wields the power to declare Betty’s lodge structurally unsound, a move forcing her to sell and enabling David to purchase it using Catherine's wealth. Describing Owen as "crude" barely scratches the surface; he is a cauldron of malice, ignorance, volatility, and vehement prejudice against anyone deviating from his narrow vision of "Christian, white America."

Catherine Simms

Catherine, a resident at Betty's lodge, is betrothed to the Reverend David Lee, unaware of his duplicitous nature. Once a debutante and now an heiress to a vast fortune, she finds herself adrift, restless, and uncertain of her desires. In Charlie, Catherine discovers a man who genuinely listens and embodies the kindness she seeks, sparking hope that she has found her perfect romantic partner. Petite and charming, Catherine’s presence is both captivating and...