Role doubling has been part of theatrical tradition since ancient Greece. The technique was used consistently and effectively by Shakespeare and is a hallmark of modern hits like Into the Woods, The 39 Steps, and Hamilton. But even for seasoned performers, the challenge is daunting.

“It’s more characters than I’ve ever done before,” Emerson says. “In some ways, I think about it as an endurance test.”

Like a marathon runner in training, Emerson will use the show’s rehearsal process to build stamina and precision.

To keep his fourteen roles distinct, he’ll draw on three main tools: physicality (changes in posture, gait, or speed), dialect (shifting accents to reflect social class), and intention (what each character wants and why). Applying all that in the rehearsal room requires both courage and trust.

“In order to play all these people, I have to be willing to fail,” he says. “I need to make bold, sometimes ridiculous choices—and trust Adam to tell me, ‘Yes, that’s working,’ or ‘Nope, try again.’”

Immerwahr agrees that this process of discovery is what makes rehearsing any comedy – but especially one with so many characters – so rewarding. “We’ll create a full person for each role, then identify the key elements that communicate that character instantly to the audience.”

That sense of transformation extends beyond acting choices and into production design. Costume designer Pete Rush likens his approach to Baskerville to working a puzzle.

“Normally you start with how each character should look,” RUSH says. “But with a quick-change show like this, where a few actors play dozens of roles, the first question is: how can this work?”

Rush’s designs are full of clever tricks—layered costumes that actors can peel away in seconds, onstage quick changes that happen in plain sight, and hidden nooks in the set for costume swaps. “The script is already hilarious,” he says. “The costumes don’t have to do the comedy for us—they just have to keep up.”

Don’t miss Mark Emerson’s tour-de-force turn in Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery. Click below to buy tickets!