(in order of appearance)
| Dionysus: | son of Zeus and Semele, he’s the newest of the Olympian gods, he rules over wine, ecstatic religion, and drama. He’s touring the ancient world in search of worshippers, and appears in most of the play in human form as a mysterious Stranger. |
| A Chorus of Bacchae: | also known as Bacchants, or followers of Bacchus (one of the many names of Dionysus), they have accompanied Dionysus to Thebes from the east. They’re rather exotic. |
| Teiresias: | famous blind seer and old friend of Cadmus. |
| Cadmus: | the founder of Thebes, father of Semele and Agave, and grandfather of Dionysus and Pentheus. He’s living in retirement. |
| Pentheus: | cousin of Dionysus and ruler of Thebes. He resists Dionysus as an upstart sect. |
| Agave: | mother of Pentheus. Under the influence of her nephew Dionysus, she’s with the rest of the Theban women on local Mt. Cithaeron living a life close to nature. |
| A Guard, a Herdsman, and a Messenger: | they report to Thebes and to the audience about events happening away from town and off stage. |