The Crucible
at H-B Woodlawn

Reviewed on April 1, 2017

Maddie Sisson
Heritage High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Will you lie and be damned? Or will you tell the truth and be hanged? H-B Woodlawn posed this same conundrum to their audiences this weekend when they put on a truly mystifying production of The Crucible. Their exceptionally emotional actors, symbolic lighting, and immersive set pulled the audience in and made them question their own fates.

The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, first opened in New York in 1953. Although the story is historical fiction about the Salem Witch Trials, Miller's actual subject was McCarthyism. The play is a symbol for how the country began to fill with false accusations and heated hearings. When The Crucible opened on Broadway in 1953, its reviews were largely negative and critical of the cold performance. However, it still went on the win the Tony Award for Best Play. Since then, The Crucible has been made not only a classic to perform, but to read in classrooms as well.

The play centers around John Proctor (Nick Kampeas) who struggled to repair his marriage with Elizabeth (Christine Wanda) after an affair with his house maid, Abigail (Caroline Alpi). Kampeas and Wanda excelled at creating a believable and endearing couple struggling to remain together while Salem slowly deteriorated around them. Kampeas' emotions added another level to his spectacular acting; he was completely believable as a broken man and desperate husband. He also had an impressive character arc that had everyone in the theater on his side. His emotions paired with those of Wanda, who broke the audience's heart by being able to cry on command, pulled their audience into the conflict with them. Kampeas' chemistry with Alpi was equally impressive. Their character's prior relationship was immediately evident in their first scene, adding extensive depth to the production. Alpi stunned the audience in her portrayal of a young woman who wrongly used the accusations of witchcraft to win back the man she loves.

Aside from the incredibly talented trio, The Crucible was filled with supporting and featured characters who shined regardless of their role. Reverend John Hale (Bradley Schurtz), a man struggling for the truth, quickly became an audience favorite as he attempted to balance his religious views paired with the demands of the law. Mary Warren's (Katie Rau) emotional turmoil had the audience eagerly awaiting every new twist: her decision between helping Proctor or returning to Abigail's evil clutches. Deputy Governor Danforth (Wyatt Walther) commanded every scene he was in and proved himself to be and dangerous antagonist who embodied the threat of wrongful accusations of communism and the government in the 1950s. Finally, Giles Corey (Robby Gessel) was both a grieving husband and provider of critical comic relief in some of the tensest moments.

Behind the remarkable cast, symbolic lighting aided in creating a hopeless and frantic mood. The costumes, based off the1950s Miller knew, were subtle, but effective in making the story more relatable to today's audience. Although the set was simple, it executed its purpose wonderfully in adding to the tension of each scene.

In this production of The Crucible, nothing was cast aside. The cast and crew used everything from shadows to silence to perfect their play and build tension, something they did admirably. H-B Woodlawn presented a powerful show that had the audience on the edge of its seats and subsequently devastated with the play's ending.

Mary.Margaret Chalk
Langley High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

A girl is sickly and shaking in Salem, Massachusetts, but she can "say nothing of unnatural causes" for her state, else her strange illness will become grounds for societal fear of her supposed witchcraft, grounds for an attack upon her life. How can she save herself? Claim that someone else, not she, is guilty of witchery. Thus, the cycle of lethal accusation begins. HB Woodlawn presents this daunting power of paranoia in its thoughtful production of The Crucible.

Arthur Miller wrote the Crucible in the 1950s, but the play is set during the late 1600s where a fear of witchcraft persisted in Salem. In response to the prospect of devilish powers being in the air, individuals started to face blame for summoning satanic spirits, for being witches. Refusal to produce a confession, however, meant death for the accused, but to save one's life, one must lie and accept claims of being a witch. The only way to claim innocence was to deflect blame onto another, who then deflected it onto another. This created a vicious and paradoxical cycle of spreading false blame and incriminating the truth. Analogous to the Salem witch trials was the Red Scare in the 1950's. The post-World War II atmosphere had Americans succumbing to the aggression of "McCarthyism," blaming their friends and political officials not for being witches, but rather communists. The Crucible narrowed in on the story of several teenaged girls accused of witchery and the domino-theory-like consequences of blame that ensued, proving the erosive effects of burying the truth and accepting lies.

Instead of a colonial backdrop, a minimalist 1950's atmosphere consumed the stage. The costumes and styles characteristic of the post WWII world were a persistent reminder of the paranoia and pain that struck America far more recently than did the witch trials.

Lead actors used admirable conviction in their performances. Abigail Williams (Caroline Alpi) was a catalyst in creating the chain of lies. Alpi used nuance and maturity to present her manipulative character believably. Her poised mannerisms and cunning persona were irresistible to other characters. No one could refuse her schemes to deflect blame. John Proctor (Nick Kampeas) who had an intimate relationship with Abigail, consistently displayed an unwavering spirit as he resisted others' accusations. Alpi and Kampeas had a dynamic relationship which spanned tense moments of affection to heartless instances of sabotage. Proctor's wife Elizabeth (Christine Wanda) genuinely portrayed a supportive partner. Wanda's poise, even while teary-eyed, was a contrasting force amidst younger, more naive girls accused of witchcraft. Such dedication was crucial to the show's success.

Supporting characters were able to further drive the plot. Mary Warren (Katie Rau) was an acute example of lying overcoming innocence. Rau masterly transitioned from honest and strong to broken when she failed in the face of accusations by blaming an innocent man. Also notable was Reverend Hale (Bradley Schurtz), who, in efforts to reveal truth, had a calm and grounding presence. Robby Gessel, who portrayed Giles Corey, expertly developed an elderly and once uplifting man. His sweetness and heart made his fate even more tragic.

Technical elements enhanced the effect of the story. Dim lighting created physical shadows that mirrored the murkiness of the truth, hidden amongst dark fears. Several moveable barred walls, which stood as the set, had a symbolic use too; characters positioned behind these bars appeared jailed or contained, just as they were trapped by lies.

HB Woodlawn recalled extreme fears that once really did consume our society. The Crucible poignantly cautioned against such paranoia and the cyclical pattern of lying that comes with it.

Claire Poirier
Loudoun Valley High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

No escape. Fear and paranoia at every turn. Want to know what is scarier than the boy who cried wolf? The girl who cried witch. Whether set in the 1600's or in the more relatable 1950's, it's time to step into the dark web of lies, distrust, and sorcery that envelops Arthur Miller's the Crucible. No one is safe when it comes to the fear surrounding who tangos with the Devil.

The Crucible is based on the atrocities of the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts during the seventeenth century. The show itself is an allegory for McCarthyism, a statement about how the United States Congress questioned those suspected of being communists. The show revolves around John Proctor, whose one colossal mistake cost him his life, as it did countless others that got caught in the warpath of the conniving Abigail Williams, a young girl with whom he had an affair. When Abigail and her posse get caught dancing in the woods and are suspected of witchcraft, she begins accusing anyone that is an obstacle to her, including John's wife, Elizabeth Proctor: the woman whose life Abigail wishes to replace.

No matter which character was the focus of the scene, each individual had their own unique story to tell that enraptured the audience. The cast did a splendid job in building tension, creating moments so intense that they sucked the audience in until that final climax.

To fully enhance the horror of the witch trials, it is necessary to have a powerful leading cast. The torn adulterer John Proctor (Nick Kampeas) demonstrated a wide display of emotions, spanning from a quiet brooding to a heartbreaking yell that made the audience hurt each time he was in pain. His loyal and strong wife Elizabeth Proctor (Christine Wanda), no matter where she was in the scene, remained connected and impactful, specifically when John was about to sign his name to a lie and you could see one single tear, glistening on her cheek. Controlling the two characters like a puppet master with her strings was the manipulative Abigail Williams (Caroline Alpi), who had clever nuances to her character like her token side-eye, which created her air of deceit and malice even when she was pretending to be innocent. The juxtaposition between the strong bond between John and Elizabeth and the lust and hatred between John and Abigail created a powerful story line that made the audience love to hate Abigail and feel for Elizabeth.

The tear between what is right and what is easy continues with Mary Warren's (Katie Rau) real heartbreaking breakdown left the audience in tears when she gave up and sided with the lying girls and turned against John. Reverend John Hale (Bradley Schurtz) had a wonderful character arc over the course of the show that helped his character appear more authentic.

Two striking aspects of the technical elements were the lighting and the set. The lights were subtle but seamless, adhering to the mood of the piece in multiple facets, including creating symbolism in the form of shadows that looked like jail bars when Elizabeth was accused of being a witch. The minimalist set aided in creating a rustic yet somewhat colonial atmosphere.

In a world where trust is sometimes a hard thing to come by, nothing demonstrates the paranoia of the Devil and corruption of certain legal systems like The Crucible. In the powerful words of John Proctor after he signs his confession, he accuses the court: "YOU have taken my soul."