Georg Nowack: The shy and intelligent assistant manager of the shop. He is a hopeless romantic who finds solace in writing letters to an anonymous “dear friend.”
Amalia Balash: A bright, eager, and highly literate woman who talks her way into a job at the shop. Like Georg, she is a dreamer who lives for the letters she receives from her secret admirer.
Ilona Ritter: A savvy, thirty-something clerk who is tired of being unlucky in love. She is trapped in a dysfunctional, “on-again, off-again” affair with the suave Steven Kodaly but eventually finds the strength to seek a more respectful relationship.
Steven Kodaly: A dapper, shallow, and highly manipulative salesman at the parfumerie. He is a polished womanizer who uses his charm to get what he wants, often at the expense of Ilona’s feelings or Georg’s professional standing.
Mr. Maraczek: The proud and dedicated owner of the parfumerie. While usually a father figure to his employees, a misunderstanding regarding his wife’s infidelity makes him uncharacteristically short-tempered and suspicious of Georg.
Ladislav Sipos: A middle-aged salesman and a devoted family man. He is Georg’s confidant and the “peacemaker” of the shop. His primary goal is to keep his job and avoid conflict, famously singing about his desire to “not rock the boat.”
Arpad Laszlo: The shop’s energetic and ambitious delivery boy. He is young, infectious, and desperate to be promoted to a full-time clerk, eventually proving his worth through his loyalty to Mr. Maraczek.
The Headwaiter: The pompous and stressed manager of the Cafe Imperiale. He is obsessed with maintaining a “romantic atmosphere” and is easily frustrated by the clumsy antics of his patrons and staff.
Keller: A private investigator hired by Mr. Maraczek to look into his wife’s private life, whose report inadvertently triggers the main conflict between Maraczek and Georg.
The Ensemble: Includes various customers, carolers, and the staff of the Cafe Imperiale, who help bring the bustling atmosphere of 1930s Budapest to life.
