Lara is a 57-year-old mother of three who runs a family cherry farm in northern Michigan alongside her husband. Decades earlier, she experienced a brief but intense acting career that began with a community theater production of Our Town. During the lockdown, she passes the time by recounting the story of her youthful summer stock romance to her adult daughters. She carefully shapes the narrative she shares, maintaining boundaries while trying to connect with her children.

Emily is the 26-year-old eldest daughter of the Nelson family. She holds degrees in horticulture and agribusiness from Michigan State University and harbors a fierce dedication to taking over the family farm. Named after the lead character in Our Town, she possesses a strong and sometimes rebellious personality. She maintains a lingering childhood fascination with the famous actor her mother once dated.

Joe is Lara's husband and the hardworking patriarch of the Nelson family. He dedicates grueling hours to maintaining the cherry orchard that has been in his family for generations. The pandemic-induced labor shortage forces him to rely heavily on his daughters to bring in the sensitive crop. His steady and self-effacing nature makes him deeply committed to his family's survival.

Peter Duke is a legendary movie star whom Lara dated during a formative summer stock theater program in her twenties. Before achieving massive fame, he was an energetic and ambitious young performer playing Editor Webb in Our Town. He possesses a magnetic personality that naturally draws people into his orbit. His celebrity status heavily influences the Nelson daughters' curiosity about their mother's past.

Maisie is the 24-year-old middle daughter of the Nelson family. Her veterinary school education has been temporarily shifted to remote learning by the pandemic. She applies her medical training practically by treating the animals of local neighbors, accepting bartered goods like fresh eggs as payment. Logical and courageous, she provides a steadying presence among her sisters.

Nell is the 22-year-old youngest daughter of the Nelson family. Named after her great-grandmother, she is an aspiring actor whose budding career has been completely stalled by the global lockdown. Lacking the agricultural expertise of her older sisters, she struggles with a sense of purposelessness on the farm. She pays close attention to the structural beats of her mother's storytelling and analyzes the narrative like a stage play.

Sebastian is Peter Duke's brother and a former competitive tennis player who once faced John McEnroe. He spends his summer working at a local yacht club and coaching tennis, frequently visiting the Tom Lake theater company to spend time with the cast. He acts as a stabilizing force and watchful guardian for his more impulsive brother.

Pallace is a talented Black actress, singer, and dancer performing in a production of Cabaret at Tom Lake. She also serves as the understudy for the role of Emily in Our Town. She quickly integrates into the social circle forming around Lara and Duke, spending her rehearsal breaks swimming in the lake with the group.

Mr. Nelson is the respected director of the Tom Lake theater company. He commands admiration from the young actors, who all hope he will cast them in his future professional productions. He has deep ties to a family cherry farm in Michigan where he plans to spend his time after opening night.

Benny is Emily's romantic partner who grew up on the farm adjacent to the Nelson orchard. At fifteen, he was the one who originally suggested planting the lucrative fresh-market cherry trees that currently sustain the Nelsons. He shares Emily's total dedication to sustainable farming and land stewardship.

Bill Ripley is a film director who discovers Lara during her university theater days. Recognizing her natural and untrained presence on stage, he flies her to Los Angeles for screen tests and casts her in a movie. He acts as a supportive mentor figure who advises her against taking traditional acting classes to preserve her unique quality.

Albert Long, affectionately known as Uncle Wallace due to a famous television role, is an older actor cast as the Stage Manager in Tom Lake's production of Our Town. He relies heavily on alcohol to manage his nerves, creating anxiety for the production team. He forms a sweet and supportive bond with Lara during their early rehearsals.

Veronica is Lara's best friend during her high school years in New Hampshire. The two girls participate in the local drama club and assist with the community production of Our Town. Their close friendship fractures when Lara becomes romantically involved with Veronica's older boyfriend.

Jimmy is a twenty-two-year-old high school math teacher who initially dates Veronica. He uses his position of authority and age to manipulate younger women in the community, eventually turning his attention toward Lara.

Aunt Maisie runs the family cherry farm with her husband Ken. She is warmly hospitable, immediately welcoming Lara, Duke, and their friends into her home for lunch. Lara is deeply touched by her kindness and later honors her by naming a daughter after her.

Uncle Ken is Aunt Maisie's husband. He operates the multi-generational cherry farm and worries about its long-term future since his own children have no interest in agricultural work.

Lara's grandmother owns an alterations shop in New Hampshire and provides a stable, loving home environment for her granddaughter. She sews Lara a custom wardrobe for her trip to Los Angeles and actively encourages her theatrical pursuits.