Richard Carter - Male / 45 Ethan’s father and the billionaire CEO of Carter Capital Group. Convinced that suffering will “discipline” Ethan, he is not truly religious, but uses religion as an excuse to justify years of abuse. He blatantly favors his adopted son, Lucas. His pride and blind faith in Lucas lead directly to Ethan’s death. Only after Ethan is gone does Richard learn the truth and begin to regret what he has done. Appearance: Around 45. A middle-aged man. Taller and more physically imposing than Ethan, with a strong, authoritative presence that feels intimidating and fear-inducing. A wealthy man who is used to being in control. Personality: Harsh, controlling, arrogant, emotionally cold, and self-righteous. Later broken by guilt and regret.

**PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT UNDER LEGALLY 18YRS OLD. Lucas Carter - Male / 18 to early 20s Richard’s adopted son. Raised in luxury by the Carter family, Lucas sees Ethan as a threat and manipulates the family to secure his place as heir. He frames Ethan, covers up his illness, and hides the truth about his death. He is the undisputed villain of the family. Appearance: Around the same age as Ethan. Slim, but healthy-looking. Should look well cared for and clearly come from wealth, with expensive clothes and a polished appearance. Needs to come across as sharper and meaner than Ethan, without Ethan’s soft or gentle look. Personality: Manipulative, jealous, calculating, cruel, performative, and deeply insecure underneath.

Margaret Carter - Female / 40s Ethan’s mother. She has doubts about Richard’s twisted way of raising Ethan and is often the first to sense that something is wrong, but she is never strong enough to stand against Richard. Because she keeps trusting Richard and Lucas over Ethan, she repeatedly fails to protect Ethan. Her silence and disbelief ultimately help lead Ethan to his death. Appearance: A middle-aged woman. Polished, wealthy, and refined. Should look like a high-status woman. Personality: Weak-willed and easily influenced.

**PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT UNDER LEGALLY 18YRS OLD. Nancy Foster - Female / 18 to early 20s. She has feelings for Ethan and deeply sympathizes with the abuse he suffers at the hands of his cruel family. In the end, she is the one who reveals the truth to Ethan’s parents. She must look kind and gentle. Around Ethan’s age, and should not look too mature. Big eyes are preferred. She needs to be able to express sympathy and determination without seeming harsh or aggressive. A cold expression is acceptable, since she has later scenes confronting Ethan’s parents.

Dr. Miller - Female / 30-35. A female doctor in charge of Ethan’s medical care. Female. 30-35. Professional, upright, and with a strong sense of justice.

Sam - Male / 30. Street thug and hired muscle. Dangerous, intimidating, and clearly villainous. Sam must look stronger than Ethan, with visible facial scars (makeup).

Mia (8-11) A kind and lively little girl who is fond of Joe and longs for a father figure.

He has no bottom line—only survival—and is driven purely by profit. Joe’s former coach and an accomplice in framing him years ago, he launders money for Scott, arranges underground fights, and even kidnaps Bella and her daughter, with the blood of many fighters on his hands. He seeks to control Joe, but when Scott is finally arrested, he is the first to step forward as a cooperating witness.

Scott’s lackey and a spoiled heir of the Martin Group—arrogant, despicable, and a bully who preys on the weak. He has committed every kind of wrongdoing.

The ultimate antagonist and the mastermind behind Joe’s downfall. Ruthless and defiant, he is a man of few words but extreme brutality. He became the new boxing champion by defeating Joe through conspiracy, not true skill. His confidence comes not from real fighting ability, but from his status as the son of powerful capital. Driven by an intense need for control and a violent nature, he craves honor as a way to satisfy his deep narcissism. **Boxing Exp. a plus

Mia’s biological father—a compulsive gambler and a despicable man. To repay his debts, he sells his ex-wife Bella to Martin and even kidnaps his own daughter.

A person who smokes a cigarette recently dropped on the ground.

A person who drops a cigarette onto the ground as they walk.

Devin is creative, neat, distrustful, and jaded. He believes he is the smartest in the room, but maybe he doesn't know as much about himself as he thinks.

Detective Warren is professional, magnetic, and confident. She gets what she wants.

A smart, young, charismatic girl whose life has been taken over by addiction. This role requires research, maturity, empathy, AND MUST be treated with respect and integrity. A guardian must be present for minors

Young Devin is smart and observant. A guardian must be present at all times.

A Person In Need who Young Devin sells cigarettes to.

Must be able to speak Spanish and English. Must be Union. Laura is a young Colombian immigrant, who has ambitious dreams of moving to the United States pursuing her studies and independence. She is kind, optimistic and emotionally sensitive. Before the assault she carries her culture with so much pride and devotion but quickly she'll be aware of how her and her community aren't as welcome in her new to be “home”. After surviving a violent racist assault, fear begins to dictate her choices. She suppresses her language and changes her appearance to feel safe. Her journey is an internal struggle between survival and authenticity, that will lead her to stop hiding and open up.