Characters in Order of Appearance

Whitman should be played by one actor throughout, as should Symonds. Whitman should not have a big beard -- it's too corny, and that's only the later Whitman.

With the other actors playing several parts a total of seven to nine actors can perform this piece.

All the characters are men.

Act I

Walt Whitman

Speakers 1-4

Boy

Rufus Griswold

Bronson Alcott

Henry David Thoreau

John Addington Symonds

Fred Vaughan

Daniel Spencer

David Wilson

Horace Ostrander

Jerry Taylor

Mississippi captain

Thomas Sawyer

Lewis Brown

Douglass Fox

Alonzo Bush

Horace Traubel

Act II

Peter Doyle

Brawny young soldier

Edward Carpenter

Harry Stafford

Ed Cattell

Gavin Arthur George

Ted

Speakers 1-4

Dr. Gay Wilson Allen