Charles Busch's Cleopatra
by Charles Busch

Name: Charles Busch's Cleopatra
Brand: Charles Busch
SKU: 9780573705397
Rating: 4.5 (2 reviews)

Charles Busch's Cleopatra Book Cover — Charles Busch's Cleopatra Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

90 mins Greek/Roman/Biblical Reduced Casting (Doubling Possible) Unit Set/Multiple Settings Period Costumes Comedy

Synopsis

The turbulent life of Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, is told, viewed through the outrageous comic lens of master parodist Charles Busch.

Evoking both 1930’s Hollywood epics and the grand 19th Century romantic theatre of Sarah Bernhardt, this version of the life of the ill-fated Egyptian Queen takes her from her teenage seduction of the Roman leader Julius Caesar through her volatile tragic romance with Mark Antony and to her ultimate death.

Charles Busch’s Cleopatra has echoes of the many great stars that have played her on stage and on film, such as Claudette Colbert, Elizabeth Taylor, Vivien Leigh and several who thankfully didn’t, including Jean Harlow, Barbara Stanwyck and Mae West.

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
Caesar Magnetic Roman leader in his late middle age.	male	—	Magnetic Roman leader in his late middle age.
Marc Antony Handsome, gruff warrior with a fatal weakness for women	—	—	Handsome, gruff warrior with a fatal weakness for women
Octavian Young ruthlessly ambitious heir to Caesar	—	—	Young ruthlessly ambitious heir to Caesar
Apollodrus Musclebound devoted slave to Cleopatra	—	—	Musclebound devoted slave to Cleopatra
Soothsayer Nervous, highly emotional wandering prophet	—	—	Nervous, highly emotional wandering prophet
Charmion Beautiful young handmaiden to Cleopatra and very much in charge	—	—	Beautiful young handmaiden to Cleopatra and very much in charge
Iras Lovely handmaiden to Cleopatra, with a bawdy sense of humor	—	—	Lovely handmaiden to Cleopatra, with a bawdy sense of humor
Calpurnia Caesars imposing and imperious wife	female	—	Caesars imposing and imperious wife
Octavia Octavian’s gentle and delicately beautiful twin sister	female	—	Octavian’s gentle and delicately beautiful twin sister
Lepidus A worldly and dignified elder Roman Senator	—	—	A worldly and dignified elder Roman Senator
Achmed A violent, unscrupulous slave trader	—	—	A violent, unscrupulous slave trader
Cleopatra Legendary Queen of the Nile. Beautiful, tough and alluring.	female	—	Legendary Queen of the Nile. Beautiful, tough and alluring.