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The curtain opens to reveal a Puritan-era bedroom, soon to discover accusations of witchcraft hanging in the air. Could it be anything but The Crucible, performed by Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology?

The Crucible was written in 1953 by Arthur Miller as a dramatic allegory in response to the McCarthy hearings of the time. Using the accusation of witchcraft in lieu of that of communism, and setting the story in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, Miller tells the story of the accused and accusers in Salem in a four act play.

TJ Drama Program’s production was well-cast, each actor playing their part nicely. The energy was able to carry this unusually long show, and maintained the audience’s attention throughout. The overall choices in set and blocking helped to emphasize the minimalist Puritan environment, and added an air of authenticity to the play and its story.

Both John Proctor (Keegan Cotton) and Elizabeth Proctor (Elena Lagon) demonstrated exemplary characterization. Both made decisions that reminded the audience of character motivations and relationships. Mary Warren (Malaika Murphy-Sierra) had terrific stage presence and a definite point of view. Abigail William (Rebecca Edelstein) was perfectly detestable, with both her manipulation and her terrifying determination being ideally played.

The supporting cast was equally enjoyable, especially Tituba (Darcey Pancoast), who was brilliant on stage. Rebecca Nurse (Anna Burke) also performed her role as the aged mother wonderfully.

The sets were generally well done. The scene in the Proctor’s home was terrific not only for the quality of the set, but for the use of space as well. Props were exceptional in everything from the seasoning dish by the Proctor’s fireplace to the key ring carried by the official in jail. Costumes were generally well done and were of good quality.

Generally, Thomas Jefferson’s performance of The Crucible was a solid one. It reflected the original script well, and demonstrated all the best features to the show’s advantage. Each actor made this show enjoyable, and kept the audience on the edge of their seats.

by Lucy Holden of Paul VI Catholic High School

Photo Gallery

Malaika Murphy-Sierra (Mary Warren) and Keegan Cotton (John Proctor)	Keegan Cotton (John Proctor) and Rebecca Edelstein (Abigail Williams)
Keegan Cotton (John Proctor) and Elena Lagon (Elizabeth Proctor)	Katie Earl (Betty) and Anna Burke (Rebecca Nurse)
Jordan Goodson, Abby Darling Rose, Stephanie Hoang, Liesl Jaeger, Saloni Chaswal, and Emily Kelly	Keegan Cotton (John Proctor), Rishi Malhotra (Giles Corey), Neal Chaudhuri (Reverand Parris), and Austin Dunn (Thomas Putnam)

Photos by Samantha Schipani