Thomas actors bring paranoia of witch trials to stage

 

Though Halloween has passed, it is still the bewitching hour at Thomas Worthington High School.

Beginning Friday, Nov. 9, the school's Theatre Repertory will present Arthur Miller's play The Crucible. Set in 1692 Salem, Mass., the four-act play brings history to life during the chaotic months of the Salem witch trials.

Filled to the cauldron's brim with lying, cheating, rage and fear, the play centers on a handful of characters who have found themselves mired in the confusion surrounding the condemnations of the alleged wicked. What starts as a father's concern for his daughter's safety soon turns into a full-blown pandemic of accusation as friends and foes turn on each other in order to escape scrutiny.

"It's very intense," said director Bronwynn Hopton. "It's a challenge for mature actors. Most want a musical or want it to be funny. It's a challenge for (the students') maturity."

Hopton said it has been 15 years since the school last performed Miller's parallel to McCarthyism and the Red Scare of the mid-20th century. When it was presented, Hopton said, it was in the larger auditorium, while this month's work will be done in the more intimate Cardinal Theatre. This will bring the audience closer to the actors, which Hopton said would add to the tighter, more claustrophobic setting of the play.

"The Crucible has such a great message. It's something very different," Hopton said. "I think it has such great language and great characters."

Among the famous figures is John Proctor, a man whose fate is marked by dishonesty and loyalty. Played by 17-year-old senior James Rankin, Proctor becomes caught up in the trials when he tries to avoid admitting to an affair with Abigail Williams, a former maid in the Proctor home.

"I'm positive the cast understands (the play)," Rankin said. "I've personally read eight or nine books (on the topic) and we've all done our research on the characters and the time."

A six-year theater veteran, Rankin said he enjoys dramas and can use his personal experiences to infuse understanding and feeling into the character. If that doesn't work, Rankin said, he sometimes will lock himself in one of the small back rooms of the theater before his prison scene to make sure he is in a captive state of mind.

Rankin will be joined on stage by Charles Adelson, Melisse Aspery, Molly Bachmann, Sam Burgess, Sara Carter, Daniela Diaz-Packard, Nic Eastman, Megan van Fossen, Monica Hadley, Tim Hoffman, Ashley Horton, Courtney Kinsel, Tom Miller, Peter McDevitt, Ericka Randolph, Alex Samuels, Abbie Schultz, Brendan Serpa, Grace Shell, Tiffany Shirk, Scott Sisk, Lisa Taxier, Matt Tischer and Grace Wang.

The Crucible is student-directed by Natalie Fang, with the technical assistance of Dakota Gilchrist, Lianna Havel and Nicole Sylvester. The set is designed by David Hopton.

Performances will be held at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 9 and 10, as well as Nov. 16 and 17. Tickets are $7 at the door.