LEAD ROLES:
BILLY BUCKETT
Mechanic & wanna-be pop idol, nicknamed ‘Mr Cool’ by the Garridge Lads. 19 years old. Oozes musical talent, rock’n’roll charisma and a couldn’t-care-less cool. Takes his guitar ‘Lizzie’ everywhere with him. Singing voice along lines of Elvis, Cliff Richard & Eddie Cochrane.
JANETTE BURNS (JAN)
Vivacious & beautiful rich girl, daughter of Arthur Burns. 18 years old, just graduated from an exclusive girls’ boarding school. Now working for her father in the office of his chicken factory. Soprano-Belt singing voice.
BIG TED
Lead ‘Garridge Lad’: Head Mechanic and Panel-Beater at Burns & Wilkins Garage. 25 years old. An affable relic of the fading Teddy-Boy era – enjoys dressing up in full Ted gear to go out boozing and chasing women (although his bravado covers a once-broken heart). Bluesy Tenor singing voice.
MAUREEN (MO)
Boarding-school friend of Jan’s, rebel and motorcycling enthusiast. Nearly 19 years old, but mature beyond her years. Flamboyant, independent & free-spirited. Gutsy Alto singing voice.
ARTHUR BURNS
Businessman, Father of Jan, Husband of Helen. Chicken-Factory Owner & Part Owner of Burns & Wilkins Garage. 45 years old. Dominant, cold, controlling, obsessed with success, pragmatist, a snob. Loves his daughter but expresses this through over-protectiveness. Fears poverty. Hates Billy Buckett. Commanding Tenor singing voice.
HELEN BURNS
Gentle wife of Arthur, Mother of Jan. 40 years old. Sweet-natured, well-bred, a loving mother, but totally dominated by her controlling husband. Sighs for the old days when Jan was little. Well-trained Alto singing voice with an emotional bitter-sweet quality.
SUPPORTING ROLES:
MARTY (SPARKY) – a ‘Garridge Lad’: Auto-Electrician at Burns & Wilkins Garage. 20 years old. Mean, sarcastic, insecure and prone to jealousy, but funny & somehow likeable. Likes to pull practical jokes. Baritone singing voice, strong harmony singer.
SHIRLEY Marty’s girlfriend, works on the factory floor at Burns’ Chicken Factory. 18 years old. Brassy, brash, bored, flirtatious, speaks her mind. Can double as a Doo-Wop Girl as a soprano harmony singer.
BRIAN (PIMPLES) – a ‘Garridge Lad’: Apprentice at Burns & Wilkins Garage. 17 years old. Boyfriend to Betty. Very young and naïve, states the obvious, clutzy, awkward, comedic, like a puppy. Adores Betty. Tenor harmony singer.
BETTY Office-worker at the Chicken Factory. 17 years old. Smart, a dreamer. Shirley’s best friend and Brian’s girl. Enjoys Brian’s adoration of her but irritated by his youth. Dreams of becoming a writer and living in London. Can double as a Doo-Wop Girl as an alto harmony singer.
CHORUS & INCIDENTAL ROLES:
Dancers/singers/actors for Ensemble numbers & crowd scenes
MALE CHORUS Teddy Boys / Garridge Lads
FEMALE CHORUS Judies / Factory Girls / Doo-Wop Girls / Nurses
SOLOMON GOLDSTEIN (GOLDY) An impresario/talent scout who discovers Billy and signs him up to his first record deal. High Tenor singing voice.
BAND LEADER/MC
RECORD EXECUTIVE Gets knocked down by Billy
SEEDY MALE CUSTOMER Served by Maureen at Runwell Motorcycles
ZEROS COFFEE BAR MC
SANATORIUM MATRON at the private Swiss clinic where Jan stays