Mary MacKillop

Eldest daughter of a large, poor immigrant family in 19th c. Australia. Hard-working and resourceful. Loves children. Pioneering and tough, but naturally gracious and ladylike. Dialect: Australian (General). Dialect reference: Sarah Hanson-Young, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcBXJff3L-Q

ANNIE MACKILLOP. Australian dialect. 15-20 (18+ to play younger). Mary's younger sister. Adventurous and a bit rebellious. A companion to Mary. Shares in the Josephite mission, but hesitant to take vows as a religious sister. Dialect reference, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcBXJff3L-Q

‍ROSE CUNNINGHAM. Light Irish dialect. 20s. A young Irish governess. Teaches with Mary. Polite, but can be indecisive. Apprehensive and quick to question. Vulnerable. Dialect reference: Saoirse Ronan, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwstj9FJHGg

‍SISTER CLARE. Working-Class English dialect. 20s. Young Sister who returns home during the chaos of Mary's excommunication.

BISHOP SHIEL. South East Irish dialect. 50s. Amiable and encouraging at first. Succumbs to stress of running diocese and manipulation of Fr. Horan. Becomes unpredictable, rash, quick-tempered in later episodes.

ALEXANDER MACKILLOP. Light Scottish (West Highlands) dialect. 40s. Mary's father. A dreamer, but broken and overwhelmed by his failures. Quick to run from his problems.

POPE PIUS IX. Light Italian dialect. 70s. Wise, gentle, calm.

BLANCHE. Upper-Class English dialect. 30s. Intelligent and well-read English woman. Born into aristocracy, but abandoned by her family after her conversion to Catholicism. A realist. Feisty. Will not be pushed around.

FLORA MACKILLOP. Light Scottish dialect. 40s. Mary's mother. A loving, resilient, self-sacrificing woman. Mary's rock.

Young farm worker who is keen to learn from Mary.

JULIAN TENISON WOODS. Posh English (Oxbridge) dialect. 28-34. Charismatic English intellectual and Catholic priest. Quirky, infectious enthusiasm. Well educated. Would be pretentious and snobbish if his joyful attitude didn't make him so likable. Works tirelessly on projects he's passionate about. Can be annoyingly single-minded, despite his good intentions. Dialect references: Eddie Redmayne, Dan Stevens, Jacob Rees-Mogg, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwfMuDBqbRM

‍FATHER CHARLES HORAN. Rural Irish dialect. 30s. Intelligent, well-spoken Irish priest. Conceited and self-serving. Knows how to work people. Eager to take down Mary and the Josephite mission. Dialect reference, priest-host in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opFif3fP48Q

‍ITALIAN MAN. Light Italian dialect. 30s. Man who directs Mary to the Papal Basilica.

MISSIE. Australian dialect. 7-12. A young girl from a poor family in Penola. Chatty and confident. Energetic, speaks her mind. Adores Mary. Dialect reference: Julia Gillard, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNuPcf8L00

‍WEALTHY CHILD. Upper Class English dialect. 10. Well-to-do pupil of Mary's.

Mary's cousin. Curious.

BISHOP REYNOLDS. Australian dialect. 40s. Bishop Shiel's successor. Pragmatic. Compassionate. Stands his ground. Dialect reference: Geoffrey Rush interview, Empire. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA1CYxY9dYg

‍SNIDE IRISH PRIEST. Middle class Irish dialect. 40s. One of the Irish 'elite' who oppose Julian's changes.

SEAMSTRESS. Posh Scottish dialect. 50s. Judgmental. Looks down her nose at these 'nuns' from the country.

SCHOOL MOM. Australian dialect. 30s. Parent of one of the pupils.

Missie's older brother. Less talkative compared to his sister. Blunt. Complains. Dialect reference: Steve Irwin, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vmis-up2Jg