RHS to Present ‘The Crucible’

The Rochester High School Drama Dept. will present Arthur Miller’s award-winning play "The Crucible," Thurs., Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. in the RHS Auditorium.

Directed by Drama teacher Susan Brennan, the play features Casey Ryan as John Proctor, Gabriela Riley as Abigail Williams, Erica Holmquist as Elizabeth Proctor, Andrew McFarlin as Reverend Hale, Joanna Labejsza as Mary Warren, Doug Kingsbury as Reverend Parris, and Christine Meagher as Tituba.

Rounding out the cast are Emily Englehardt, Annie White, Amanda Brown, Pat Crowley, Sarah Paquette, Mian O’Dowd, David Crowley, Cullen Haskins, Travis Stover, Michael Cox, Jenny Dorman, Billy Danforth, Kirsten Domas, Joey Shattenkirk, Vanessa Mongeur, Amanda Bowen, Billy-Jo Leonard, and Midori Cruikshank.

Set in the 1600s during the Salem Witch Trials, "The Crucible" is a social tragedy about a town that is torn to shreds by rumors of witchcraft and mass hysteria set off by a group of teenage girls. The play, which deals with the effects of the pressures of society and alienation, is an allegory of the 1950s witch-hunt, known as McCarthyism, led by the infamous Senator Joseph McCarthy.

During that period in America’s history, people were afraid to question the Communist witch-hunt just as those in the 1600s were afraid to question the Salem witch trials, for fear of being prosecuted themselves. McCarthy claimed to have a list of 205 "Communist supporters" and destroyed the lives of those who were "blacklisted." Playwright Arthur Miller, who was one of those accused by McCarthy, illustrated in "The Crucible" how the accused in the both the 1600s, and 1950s were given no chance to plead their innocence in situations fueled by the judgement of society.

Brennan says she chose the play, "because we haven’t done a drama in quite some time, and the theme of ‘The Crucible’ is still relevant today, unfortunately." She recently took the cast on a research trip to Salem, Mass. to see the actual site of the incidents from the play.

Tickets for the play may be purchased at the door.

By Martha Slater