CHARACTERS:
3 men/ 2 women

Man 1
... KOVALYOV. 30s or 40s, Tenor (B2-A4). A mid-level civil servant. Overly serious, yet still earnest. Insecure but ambitious.

Man 2
... CHIEF OF POLICE. 30s to 50s, Baritone/Tenor (C#3-E4). A round, red-faced, thickly-bearded fellow. Cheerfully and unselfconsciously corrupt.
... OLGA’S SERVANT. 20 – 70.
... BORIS, a peasant. 20 – 70.

Man 3
... INSKIWINSKI, a barber. 20 – 50.
... THE NOSE. 30s to 40s, Tenor (B2-E4). A person-sized nose. Aristocratic and nasal. Pompous and superior.
... CLERK. Takes advertisements in a newspaper office. Has seen it all. 40s to 70s.
... DOCTOR. A city doctor with roots in the provinces. 20s to 70s.

Woman 1
... MATROYSHKA. 20s to 30s, Alto/Mezzo (G#3-E5). A spirited young servant. Sensible yet mysterious, and sometimes sarcastic. A tough cookie, but vulnerable.
... RADINKA. A peasant. Broad and coarse. 50s to 70s.

Woman 2
... OLGA BABALOVNA YANKOVA. 110, Alto/Soprano(C#4-B4). Strong character actress needed. A wealthy bad-tempered lady.
... IVAN, a thief. Any age.

Notes:
- Other doublings may be possible at the discretion of the director.
- All roles may be cast as any ethnicity.