The Handmaid’s Tale meets Salem Witch Trials: The Crucible.
Sofia Dyer (‘26), Staff Writer
Lights, Cameras, and witchcraft are taking over Casady’s theatre department this fall as high school actors take on their latest challenge. November 15 through 17, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, a classic and poignant drama, dives headlong into the complexities of mass hysteria and paranoia on the Fee Theatre stage. The play was written amidst the Red Scare and McCarthyism, in part to point out the dangers of blindly following the masses. The story follows 17-year-old Abigail Williams played by Charlotte Knight-Lester (‘25) and farmer John Proctor played by Austin Rindler (‘26). As these two grapple with the consequences of their love affair, they are caught in a whirlwind of accusations and gossip. How far will each go to save their own skin?
Although originally set in 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, the events of the play are strikingly relevant to the present day, exploring topics such as the bandwagon appeal and use of fear as a control tactic. In order to highlight these pertinent issues, theatre director Mr. Heath Jones has decided to shift the story’s setting from a dated and foreign Puritan town to a more contemporary and dystopian society in hopes to better shed light on Miller’s complicated themes.
“The juxtaposition between a futuristic and modern world and the character’s older lifestyles I think will help call attention to the really important topics that we’ve discussed in rehearsal that are prevalent throughout The Crucible,” Austin Rindler (‘26) said. “Mr. Jones is really trying to elevate this play and our acting to the next level, in a way that will truly resonate with audiences and that I’m really excited about.”
With a new setting and time period, our high school actors are faced with completely reimagining their roles, taking into consideration how they would react in a dystopian timeline. Charlotte Knight Lester (‘25) described the exercise Mr. Jones had the cast do at the first rehearsal. “He made us close our eyes and really immerse ourselves into our characters,” she recounted. “I think it helped me realize that Abigail being in a dystopian society makes her actions less petty and more self-survivalist.”
Taking inspiration from The Handmaid’s Tale in terms of costuming and setting, Mr. Jones is reimagining the classic story and making it his own. One which will surely be an unforgettable and moving experience for all types of audiences. “I thought that it was such a fascinating angle of the show and I’m so excited to see how he portrays it onstage” Paige Ortoff (‘26), playing Elizabeth Proctor (John Proctor’s wife), said. “I love the fact that he’s modernizing it and making it more unique.”
As the famous saying goes, “History repeats itself,” and that is no better highlighted than in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. This classic warned against its society by making it synonymous with a community in Salem hundreds of years ago and should stay relevant in all of us today, as we strive to stray from bandwagons and mass paranoia. Many twists are revealed throughout the dramatic play, which features dark and intense imagery and acting. Many topics of importance are explored throughout the somber and spooky story that will be presented on our very own stage this fall. This play, brought to life by Casady’s very own hard-working actors, will leave you questioning society’s morals, and leave you wondering: Who even is the true villain?
