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Bev is a nervous, well-intentioned woman in her forties preparing to move out of her Clybourne Park home in 1959. She attempts to manage her husband's profound grief by remaining overly cheerful and offering constant hospitality to her guests. She relies heavily on her maid to handle the practical aspects of moving while she tries to keep the peace.
Russ is a man in his late forties struggling with severe depression following the loss of his son. He has withdrawn completely from his community, feeling betrayed by how his neighbors treated his family. He sits half-dressed among moving boxes, responding defensively and bluntly to anyone who tries to intervene in his mourning.
Karl is a tense man in his thirties who represents the Clybourne Park Community Association. He visits Russ and Bev with the explicit goal of stopping them from selling their house to a black family. He speaks forcefully and at length, convinced that his views on neighborhood segregation are practically minded and widely shared.
Steve is a white man in his thirties who has purchased a home in Clybourne Park in 2009. He plans to demolish the existing structure to build a much larger house, sparking a conflict with the neighborhood association. He is highly talkative, frequently interrupts others, and aggressively defends his views on property rights.
Husband of Lindsey
Client of Kathy
Negotiates with Kevin
Argues with Lena
Acquaintance of Tom
Employer of Dan
Lindsey is a pregnant white woman in her thirties who is buying the property with her husband, Steve. She views herself as progressive and frequently attempts to silence Steve when he brings up offensive topics. Despite her efforts to appear culturally sensitive, she often centers her own feelings in conversations about marginalization.
Wife of Steve
Client of Kathy
Negotiates with Lena
Acquaintance of Kevin
Acquaintance of Tom
Employer of Dan
Kevin is a black man in his thirties who lives in Clybourne Park. He attends the meeting to protest the scale of the new construction. He initially maintains a friendly demeanor, making small talk and brushing off uncomfortable comments, but his patience wears thin as the meeting devolves into personal insults.
Husband of Lena
Client of Tom
Negotiates with Steve
Acquaintance of Lindsey
Acquaintance of Kathy
Acquaintance of Dan
Lena is a black woman in her thirties serving on the neighborhood housing association. She has a deep personal connection to the house, which belonged to her great-aunt. She attends the meeting to express practical and historical concerns about gentrification, but struggles to make her voice heard over the others.
Wife of Kevin
Client of Tom
Opposes in negotiation Steve
Opposes in negotiation Lindsey
Acquaintance of Kathy
Francine is a black woman in her thirties employed as a maid by Russ and Bev. She maintains a polite, professional demeanor while actively trying to avoid getting drawn into the white characters' debates about race and integration. She keeps her head down, prioritizing her work and her desire to leave the house on time.
Betsy is a deaf woman in her late twenties who is eight months pregnant. She communicates using a mix of sign language and vocalizations. Because of her deafness, she remains insulated from the majority of the harsh verbal arguments occurring around her.
Wife of Karl Lindner
Neighbor of Bev
Jim is a local clergyman in his late twenties. He arrives at the house with the intention of offering spiritual and emotional support to Russ. He attempts to act as a peacemaker but struggles to maintain his composure when faced with Russ's hostility and Karl's aggressive questioning.
Albert is Francine's husband, a black man in his thirties. He arrives to help his wife finish her shift but quickly realizes the tense racial dynamics playing out in the living room. He asserts his own boundaries, refusing unwanted charity and stepping in physically when an argument turns volatile.
Kenneth is Russ and Bev's son in his twenties. He is a military veteran whose traumatic experiences in the Korean War deeply affect his family and alienate him from the surrounding community. His absence casts a heavy shadow over his parents' lives and motivates their move.
Kathy is the lawyer representing Steve and Lindsey. She frequently derails the professional meeting by bringing up personal anecdotes about her travels to Europe and her family's historical ties to the neighborhood. She views herself as worldly and intelligent but is easily offended.
Lawyer for Steve
Lawyer for Lindsey
Opposing counsel to Tom
Acquaintance of Lena
Acquaintance of Kevin
Tom is the lawyer representing Kevin and Lena. He continually attempts to steer the chaotic meeting back to the specifics of the city council petition and property regulations. He acts as the voice of structure, though the other attendees consistently ignore his legal explanations.
Lawyer for Kevin
Lawyer for Lena
Opposing counsel to Kathy
Acquaintance of Steve
Acquaintance of Lindsey
Dan is a white construction worker in his late forties hired to prepare the property for a new koi pond. He works outside but occasionally enters the living room, oblivious to the intense emotional arguments taking place.
Hired by Steve
Hired by Lindsey