Uncle Vanya (Ivan Petrovich Voynitsky) (40s–50s):

A disillusioned man who feels he has wasted his life serving others. Intelligent, bitterly sarcastic, and emotionally exhausted. Deeply wounded by lost opportunities and unrequited love. Requires an actor capable of subtle, simmering resentment, dark humor, and deep vulnerability. Emotional shifts from wit to rage to despair but always with the tears of a clown.

Sonya (Sofya Alexandrovna) (mid 20s):

Earnest, and hardworking. Deeply in love with Astrov, who does not return her feelings. Sonya embodies hope, pain, and emotional endurance. Requires an actress who can express quiet strength, deep longing, and crushing heartbreak with sincerity and restraint. Sonya represents all the redemption there is in the play in her simple and optimistic resilience.

Professor Serebryakov (Alexander Vladimirovich) (50s–60s):

An aging academic, self-important and largely oblivious to the sacrifices others make for him. Complains incessantly of his ailments and is out of touch with rural life. Needs an actor who can balance pomposity with a flicker of human frailty. Requires strong vocal control and an ability to shift between arrogance, vulnerability, and entitlement.

Yelena (Yelena Andreevna) (late 20s – early 40s):

The professor’s beautiful, much younger wife. Intelligent and elegant, yet emotionally stifled in a passionless marriage. Her presence causes turmoil, especially for Vanya and Astrov. Must convey subtle sensuality, dissatisfaction, and a sense of being trapped. Requires a performer with poise and depth, capable of expressing conflicted emotions beneath calm composure.

Doctor Astrov (Mikhail Lvovich) (30s–40s):

A charismatic and idealistic doctor turned jaded by years of thankless labor. Haunted by disillusionment but still capable of grand ideas and bursts of passion. Must balance charm and detachment, humor and bitterness. Requires a commanding presence and the ability to convey inner conflict, suppressed desire, and weariness without melodrama.

Maria Vasilyevna (70s):
Vanya’s mother, rigid and scholarly, emotionally distant but opinionated. Loyal to the professor and dismissive of her son’s grievances. A performer with strength and stillness, able to convey cold authority and intellectual pride with minimal expression. A smaller role, but rich with subtext and generational contrast.

Marina (50s–70s):

The old nurse/nanny. Warm, nurturing, and grounded, she offers wisdom and perspective amidst the chaos. A symbol of stability and tradition. Requires a performer with authenticity and quiet presence, able to deliver brief but impactful moments of comfort and humanity. A supporting role with great emotional resonance.

Telegin (Ilya Ilyich) (40s–70s):

A kind, comically awkward, and deeply loyal family friend. Lives on the estate in reduced circumstances. His nickname “Waffles” reflects his self-deprecating nature. Needs an actor with gentle humor and pathos, able to make a seemingly foolish man deeply sympathetic. A delicate balance of comic relief and quiet sadness. Ability to play guitar or other stringed instrument is advantageous.