The wooden stage grew dark, lit by a strange blue glow and the orange light of candles spread across the set. The crowd silently waited as through the darkness the actors stepped onto the stage. Suddenly, the air was pierced by the wailing of witches. Young women were dancing, hysterically singing in tongues and praising a dark master. My heart was filled with a sense of dread. From the first minute of “The Crucible,” I knew I was in for a wild ride.
The stage play “The Crucible” was originally published by playwright Arthur Miller in 1953. The College Theater department at College of DuPage’s (COD) MacAninch Arts Center (MAC) staged an adapted performance from Oct. 9-Oct. 19. This production was directed by Daniel Millhouse and featured a cast largely made up of COD students. The story is a retelling of the events of the infamous Salem witch hunt from 1692-93, the mass hysteria around it and the crimes against humanity committed by the so-called “justice system.” It is a story that is both old and, unfortunately, relevant to current events.
There are so many things to praise about this production. Nearly everything about it was impressive, especially for a crew including college students, as the quality was a level I would expect from a professional troupe. The set was beautiful and surprisingly realistic. The original script was genius, being complex in both character development and the underlying themes.
The plot is excellent but quickly becomes harrowing. Our misadventure begins with a local preacher known as the Rev. Samuel Parris witnessing a group of young women performing a strange ritual in the forest. He accuses his niece, Abigail Williams, and her friends of being witches who worship the Devil.
The Rev. Parris’ baseless accusations start a chain of events that lead to the whole town falling into chaos. He accuses Abigail of being a witch; then Abigail accuses innocent women to deflect blame away from herself and her friends. Priests and policemen start arresting people based on rumors without any hard evidence or due process. Before long, the townspeople are executing anyone who is even suspected of being a witch.
The actors were so energetic, and I felt pulled into everything they did. Each character had a unique voice, memorable lines, loud body language and a certain vigor to their personality that made it feel immersive. The performances of the main characters Abigail Williams and John Proctor, played by Abigail Williams and Ryan Cosillo, respectively, were especially impressive. And no, that is not a typo, the actress has the same name as the character. Abigail was a wonderful villain whose crazy energy took up the room wherever she went. As strange as it sounds, I liked how much I hated her.
But that’s not to diminish the role of the other actors. Every actor in this play perfectly captured the hysterical emotions of those strange times. A side character I particularly liked was Giles Corey, played by Steven Zeidler, who made me laugh in every scene he was in. Zeidler was loud, obnoxious and larger than life. He was totally unafraid to speak his mind no matter how much unfair opposition he faced. I couldn’t help but admire his courage in the face of injustice.
The stage setting was much higher quality than I expected. It was done up with wood furniture and floors, which made it look like the inside of a wooden building, as was the style in the time the story is set in. The crew also added and removed props for each scene to create a convincing simulation of the exact room the scene took place in, such as a podium for the courthouse, wooden chairs and tables for houses and altered lighting for night scenes. It looked better than the sets I have seen at some professional theaters. I particularly loved the use of candles to establish tone. The stage was quite dark and dimly lit by softly glowing candles, which perfectly represent the bleak atmosphere the characters are living through.
It was refreshing to see classic art forms like “The Crucible” in the current year. Watching a movie at home doesn’t have the personality of watching a play in a theater with other people, especially one as emotionally powerful as “The Crucible.” Watching such a story in person is arguably more appropriate because a story about community should be viewed as a community. “The Crucible” is beautiful; it’s haunting, and it hits a little too close to home.
