DRAMATIS PERSONAE*/**
(in order of appearance)

ISHMAEL, a simple seaman
COFFIN•, landlord of the Spouter Inn
QUEEQUEG, a tattooed aboriginal, harpooner to Starbuck
FATHER MAPPLE†, pastor of the Whalemen’s Chapel
PELEG•, co-owner of the Pequod
BILDAD˚, co-owner of the Pequod
FEDALLAH, the Parsee, Ahab's personal harpooner
PHANTOM 1• & 2†, the mysterious servants to Ahab
ELIJAH≈, a mad prophet
STARBUCK, first mate aboard the Pequod
STUBB, second mate aboard the Pequod
FLASK, third mate aboard the Pequod
TASHTEGO≈, an Indian, harpooner to Stubb
DAGGOO†, an African, harpooner to Flask
PIP, cabin boy aboard the Pequod
CAPTAIN AHAB, the one-legged captain of the Pequod
MACY˚, a sailor aboard the Pequod
FOLGER•, a sailor aboard the Pequod
GARDINER˚, captain of the Rachel
MOBY DICK, a 100 foot, snow-white, Sperm Whale

*MOBY DICK:The Classical Text can also be played with a cast of 12 actors, by employing the following covering of roles: COFFIN covering PELEG, FOLGER & PHANTOM 1; MAPPLE covering DAGGOO & PHANTOM 2; BILDAD covering MACY & GARDINER; ELIJAH doubles as TASHTEGO. 
**It is also desirable, if possible, to include an omnipresent Women’s Chorus of Eight, to serve as congregation members of Whalemen’s Chapel and the constant voice of the sea.  MUSIC AVAILABLE for PERFORMANCE ONLY.

AUTHOR'S NOTES ON THE SETTING

I’ve envisioned the play being staged on an Elizabethan stage with an inner above and below equipped with a slip stage.  The inner above has two staircases, left and right, that step down onto a large forestage area where most of the piece should be played.  The surrounding lip of the downstage should be made to suggest the edge of the whaling ship, the Pequod, as should the setting walls upstage. 

Downstage of the lip, sea-blue China Silk is draped, closest to the audience, (i.e. overboard) and hooked every several feet, just below the downstage parts of the ship's side, suggesting waves in the ocean.

The “Pequod set” should be built to split apart in some way, either upon two turntables, side by side, which will allow the entire set to break into two parts, (once the slip-stage is removed) and spin out of sight; or, on wagons that are rolled or tracked in and out. This is important for the sinking of the Pequod and its crew at the end of the play. 

The “Moby Dick effect” happens when the set splits to reveal an enormous, stark white cyc, center.  A painted or projected White Whale's "eye" in the middle of the cyc gives us the impression of Moby Dick.  The exposed ends of the downstage blue silk are pulled upstage, covering the stage floor, and Ahab is suspended by hempen line hanging in front of the cyc. 

The penultimate image of the play, Ahab going under with the White Whale, is achieved by a second piece of rolled, blue silk running along the base of the cyc.  Fish lines slowly raise the silk and cover Ahab and the cyc, giving the impression of Ahab and Moby Dick going under, in a kind of crucifixion.

Ishmael, the play's soul survivor, ends up alone in a complete sea of blue silk, atop Queequeg's coffin.

Of course, none of the above needs to be done. A blank stage with easily moving furniture would suffice, save for the stark image of the eye on the white cyc. It is this central image, its simplicity and symbolism, which called me to write this stage version to begin with. I do feel this concept is important and that any attempt at creating a 'real looking' whale would not serve the story and what I believe to be its deeper meaning: Man vs. God.

The above is only a series of suggestions.  I’ve always had tremendous faith in the ingenuity and genius of the designers of the world.   I’m certain there are other, even more effective and exciting ways to create this play for the stage, and encourage production teams to come to let their imaginations run wild in the pursuit of their “white whales!”