Beverly is a Black woman determined to host the perfect birthday dinner for her mother. Her pursuit of order drives the initial action of the narrative as she anxiously manages the preparations. She loves her household deeply. She frequently feels frustrated by what she perceives as their lack of urgency and adherence to her standards.

Dayton is Beverly's husband. He operates as a stable, responsible partner who balances her anxiety with playful teasing. He assists with the party preparations by replacing a burned cake and purchasing groceries. He views himself as the man of the house and occasionally bristles at Beverly's seating arrangements. He usually defers to her wishes to maintain peace.

Jasmine is Beverly's sister. She possesses a dramatic flair and a tendency to make Beverly's life more difficult. She confidently boasts about her dietary restrictions while secretly sneaking bites of cheese. Despite frequently irking her sister, she demonstrates a strong bond with her niece and a protective instinct when the family faces accusations.

Keisha is Beverly and Dayton's teenage daughter. She is a bright overachiever heavily involved in sports and academics. She feels exhausted by the pressure to succeed and desperately wants to take a gap year before college. Optimistic and perceptive, she begins to sense inconsistencies in her reality that the older generation fails to notice.

Jimbo is an entitled spectator whose presence conceptually merges with Tyrone, Beverly's brother. He views his life as a movie in which he wields total control. He confidently asks provocative questions about race and relies on broad generalizations about different cultures. He possesses a forceful manner of speaking and expects constant attention from his peers.

Suze is one of four unseen spectators observing the Frasier family, whose presence conceptually merges with Mama, the family matriarch. She views herself as socially aware and expresses discomfort when her friends engage in blatant stereotyping. However, she holds her own biases. She feels uniquely connected to Black culture because a Black nanny primarily raised her during childhood.

Mack is a spectator who merges with the role of Keisha's friend, Erika. He attempts to apply logic to offensive thought experiments. He contemplates race as a set of innate qualities that one can try on like a costume. He defends his stereotyping by citing a desire for a lively, bold lifestyle without acknowledging his own privilege.

Bets is an immigrant from an unspecified European country who watches the performance alongside her friends, eventually embodying a secondary version of Mama. Lacking firsthand experience with the racial history of the United States, she dismisses American discussions of race as an obsession. She views cultural identity through a simplistic lens of food and aesthetics.

Mabel is a Black woman who worked as a nanny. She primarily raised Suze. She provides Suze with what Suze considers an honorary connection to Black culture through maternal care and traditional food.