The Crucible
at Aliso Niguel

Reviewed on November 7, 2015

Miranda Wolford
SOCSA Dana Hills
Submitted for publication to OC Register

Aliso sheds new light on 'Crucible'

Miranda Wolford is a Junior at SOCSA Dana Hills


Rife with accusations of witchcraft and the wraths of scorned spirits, Aliso Niguel High School's "The Crucible" captures Salem's descent into chaos as it is overrun by sin, corruption, and betrayal.

Leading the fight for truth and justice is the intrepid yet fearful farmer John Proctor (Danny Cristofaro). Amidst the witchery accusations against his wife Elizabeth, Proctor combats this absurd claim with assured conviction and an impassioned argument to the court on her behalf. Cristofaro adds depth to Proctor by shedding light on his inner moral conflict between fighting for his integrity and admitting a false confession to save his own life.

Proctor's battle between good and evil is personified on stage through the adverse characters of Abigail Williams (Shayla Stensby) and Elizabeth Proctor (Allison Cruz). Sauntering around stage in a misleadingly pure white dress, Williams, at first glance, appears to be an innocent girl, nursing a girlish crush on John Proctor. Yet, as Proctor's loyalty to his wife strays, her girlish crush turns into a vengeful love. The audience witnesses her crazed progression from a wide-eyed school girl into a malicious murderer, silencing even the court with the daggers shooting from her eyes.

Opposing Williams as the pure Elizabeth Proctor, Cruz portrays Proctor as a pillar of impenetrable virtue, preaching her innocence despite nobody listening. Whereas Williams moves her hands only to point fingers, Proctor mobilizes her hands only in prayer, symbolizing the utter strength and endurance of her beliefs even as everyone else's crumbled.

Adding believability and accuracy to the production, makeup designer Melanie Miller accentuates the individual characteristics of each persona, from the gruesome yellowing of Tituba's (Kassidy Ordish) teeth after she's been imprisoned to the patchy gray hair of old man Giles Corey (Aaron Pelt). Shocking the audience with intense bruises and stab wounds, Miler shows professionalism and talent beyond her years.

Flooding the stage with an array of deep blues, emerald greens, and demonic reds, the lighting designers Piper Hein and Una Cusi succeed in setting the mood of each scene, from the courthouse to the woods, with every timely lighting cue. Symbolically, a single red spotlight shines on those who are guilty of sin, a unique and clever touch on the lighting team's part.

Tackling mature content with ease, the cast and crew of Aliso Niguel's "The Crucible" injects new truth into this classic.

Heather Nielsen
St. Margaret's Episcopal
Submitted for publication to OC Register

Lies and Witchcraft at Aliso Niguel

Heather Nielsen is a Senior at St. Margaret's Episcopal

With the beating of tribal drums in the background, the stage of Aliso Niguel High School's production of "The Crucible" is set. When a small Puritan town is overrun with the suspicions of witchcraft, the good and bad is revealed in everyone.

John Proctor (Danny Cristofaro) tries to keep to his morals while behind challenged by the townspeople of Salem. Even through accusation and perjury, Cristofaro holds to his beliefs to the point where he gives his own life to not succumb to the lies of the church. Cristofaro's expressive motions and commanding presence add to the character.

As the antagonist of the show, Abigail Williams (Shayla Stensby) creates mass hysteria and spins tales of witchcraft throughout the town. Stensby makes a powerful character by using her facial expressions more than her body movements, which adds to her character's severity. Stensby's death glares scare the other girls into silence as she tries to overrun the town with her lies and recapture the heart of John Proctor (Danny Cristofaro).

Part of the storyline follows the involvement of church and state in the town. The two figures who really optimize the extremes of each side are Reverend John Hale (Justin Benbrook) and Deputy-Govenor Danforth (Michael Ouimet). Benbrook begins the play by following the same trends as the rest of the town but at the end he finds that what appears to be right may in fact be the most wrong. Benbrook's calm presence and clear voice centers the show whenever he is on the stage. Ouimet is the head of the court and is the deciding factor on if the accused live or die. Ouimet's commanding voice draws every character's attention when he speaks while seemingly making them appear smaller in stature as he excersizes his power.

The lighting designed by Una Cusi and Piper Hein contributes to the show by adding another layer to the black box production. The blue lights create a night effect while the red and white lights show the difference between sin and innocence for the characters.

The marketing/publicity crew (Henna Jamal and Katie Norton) really showcase the highlights of the production in their intriguing promo video and creative graphic design for the poster.

Though some people may succumb to the pressure of others, Aliso Niguel's cast proves that staying true to oneself will ultimately be the bravest choice.

Hazar Eldick
Northwood
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Aliso Niguel's ‘Crucible' Surrounding Mystery

Hazar Eldick is a Sophomore at Northwood High School

Panic stricken shrieks echo from the ten year old Betty Parris, a suspected victim of witchcraft, is left unmoving in her paranoia state of mind. Morality overpowering truth, religion largely shaped the fates of those accused of witchcraft. With only a person's name and reputation remembered after death, John Proctor faces the internal struggle of honesty or death.

The dramatic, crisp and distinctive actions from Aliso Niguel High School's production of Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" explores the mass hysteria and tragedies of the witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts 1692. Miller's allegory for the events is about reputation, legacy and empowerment.

The production was chosen to be in-the-round, having audiences within feet to the actors, but with such a small area, not once did the actors break character. Danny Cristofaro plays the hardworking and pious, John Proctor. The dynamic character values his reputation but as well as his integrity. Proctor's affair with Abigail Williams, played by Shayla Stensby, results in her to unfaithfully conceal their secret to prevent charges of witchcraft, to avoid severe punishments for casting spells and adultery. Williams betrays many throughout the series of events one being Tituba portrayed by Kassidy Ordish. Tituba's timid and motherliness helps to play the contrasting personality while executing an impressive Barbados accent. With a hunched back and slow paced movement, the elderly but spirited Giles Corey played by Aaron Pelt is the comedic relief throughout the play.

Entering the steps to the stage, the smell of cinnamon activates the audience's sense of smell, creatively executed by the prop designer, Savi Nasiri and her crew. From the wooden spoon to the whip, every prop element was time appropriate to further enhance the experience of those watching. The costumes designed by Samantha Sedor, were elaborate and symbolic, to the characters and their personalities. With an in-the-round space, costumes had to be exact and precise being within a foot from the audience, adding details as small as extra dirt and rips to accommodate the costumes as the show progresses. The technical aspects enticed the entire set to such a level exceeding high school professionalism.

Aliso Niguel High School's creates shadows upon the set and the audience's imagination while watching "The Crucible", with mystery and wonder the high schools production showcased and portrayed the daunting events in Salem, Massachusetts.