ELIZABETH BATHORY: Hungarian Countess. She is arrogant, proud, imperious, beautiful, haughty, and alone. She is 54 years old, but in the flashbacks should look middle to early twenties, perhaps as young as thirteen or fourteen.
PRIEST: Young and fairly naïve Priest. He is ambitious, perhaps a bit recklessly so. Although well born, he is not particularly influential. If he succeeds at obtaining Elizabeth’s confession and conversion, his career could take off. He is no older than his late twenties.
MOTHER: Elizabeth’s mother. She is strong and accustomed to being obeyed. The director can decide her age. [Consider: Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet is 26.]
LADY IN WAITING: A Lady in Waiting.
MAID: A maid.
FERENC: A young, fierce warrior. He is a violent killer, but a tender lover. Women want him. Men want to be his friend.
STRANGER: Demonic and evil, he is creepily sexy.
THURZO: Early in the story, he is a young man only a few years older than Elizabeth. By the end, he is middle-aged. He is strong and proud, but not quite as heroic or attractive as Ferenc. Perhaps he has some issues with this.
GUARD: A guard.
SETTING: Hungary. The tower room in the Castle Cjesthe.
TIME: 1614
* * * * *