Steve is a logical and civic-minded resident of Maple Street. When a mysterious power outage strikes the neighborhood, he naturally steps into a leadership role, attempting to keep his peers grounded and focused on rational solutions. He strongly opposes the growing paranoia and mob mentality that quickly infects the community, standing firm on principles of civility even when facing intense pressure.

Charlie is initially introduced as a friendly and typical suburbanite living on Maple Street. However, when the neighborhood loses power and communication, his underlying anxiety quickly takes over. He becomes highly suspicious of his peers, prioritizing his own security over community trust and rapidly emerging as the loudest voice of fear in the growing mob.

The Figures are mysterious, detached observers monitoring the neighborhood. They possess a clinical interest in human behavior, closely watching how easily a community dissolves into suspicion and groupthink when faced with simple disruptions to their daily routines. They view the residents' panic as a predictable psychological pattern.

Serving as a Greek chorus, the Narrator frames the story of Maple Street for the audience. He provides essential context about the idyllic neighborhood and offers moral judgments on the events, guiding the viewer's understanding of the community's psychological breakdown and the broader implications of mass hysteria.

Les is a quiet resident of Maple Street who struggles with insomnia, occasionally taking late-night walks to look at the stars. After the power fails, his car inexplicably starts on its own, instantly making him the neighborhood's first target of suspicion. He is quickly put on the defensive as his peers begin to scrutinize his every eccentricity.

Tommy is a young, imaginative boy who lives on Maple Street with his mother. An avid reader of science fiction comic books, he is the first to suggest that the power outage is the work of hostile invaders disguised as humans. His childish theories plant the initial seed of terror that takes root in the adults' minds.

Pete is a proactive resident of Maple Street who takes initiative shortly after the community loses power. Hoping to gather information, he leaves the immediate neighborhood to see if the blackout extends to nearby Floral Street, inadvertently placing himself in a tense situation when he attempts to return in the dark.

Don is a resident caught up in the confusion of the sudden power failure. Initially cooperative and aligned with Steve's logical approach, he quickly becomes swept up in the escalating tension and mob psychology, arming himself with a shotgun as the neighbors' collective panic intensifies.

Myra is Steve's wife, thrust into the same confusing blackout as the rest of the street. Unlike her husband, who stands firm on principles of privacy, Myra is more willing to appease the growing mob, even offering to let the panicked neighbors search their home to prove they have nothing to hide.

Sally is Tommy's mother. She tries to manage her young son during the tense blackout, initially dismissing his science fiction theories. She becomes deeply frightened when the increasingly hostile crowd of adults turns their paranoid accusations toward her child.

Mrs. Goodman is Les's wife. She finds herself trapped in a terrifying position when the neighborhood suddenly targets her husband, forcing her to endure the mob's baseless suspicions and hostility right on her own front lawn.