MANIKA (pronounced MAH-knee-kuh) – Lesbian, Indian-American palliative care pediatrician and former Spelling Bee competitor, mid-thirties in the present, 12 in flashback scenes. Has always wanted to have children and had two miscarriages. She is married to


JEANETTE – Lesbian, African-American, late thirties, works as a freelance video editor and wedding videographer. Also wants children but is unable to have them. Does not particularly like


ADAM – MANIKA's close friend from college. Gay, male, white, mid-thirties, an actor who primarily performs musical theater on cruise ships, though like many actors, he has a series of freelance gigs when he is at home in New York – cater-waiter, “costume” work as a mascot for a major Japanese brand, and more. He has recently broken up with

JOAQUIN – Latino/mixed race, mid-to-late thirties, handsome, a successful, politically progressive architect.

DAD – MANIKA's dad from the past. We only see him in silhouette. An Indian immigrant, male, mid-forties. A loving and nurturing person, he had an arranged marriage to

MOM – MANIKA's mother, who we also only see in silhouette, but both in the past (early to mid forties) and in the present (early sixties). Also an Indian immigrant who had to re-do an entire surgical residency in order to practice medicine in the U.S., she is also loving, but tough, holding MANIKA to a high standard, since she is used to having to be twice as good as the men she works with. Despite being in the United States for almost 40 years, she is in some ways still very Indian.

SAM SAMUELSON, local news anchor – doubled by actor playing DAD. Male, forties.

SUPERSWIMMER (JAMES ADOLPHUS) – mixed race man in his mid-thirties with very motile sperm. He considers his “super swimmers,” God-given and is pledged to help any woman anywhere who needs a sperm donation. He can be doubled by actor playing JOAQUIN.

STORE MANAGER/PATRICIA the OB-GYN – played by the actor playing MANIKA's MOM.