SENIOR CAST (Grades 7 - 2024 GRADS)
Widely considered a masterpiece, this timeless classic challenges American ideas of power, intolerance, and justice. In the Puritan community of Salem, Massachusetts, a teen girl accuses a farmer’s wife of witchcraft. One accusation spirals into many, uncovering a web of bigotry and deceit that changes lives forever. Among the most produced plays since its 1953 debut, The Crucible is both a gripping historical drama and an evergreen parable of contemporary society.
“The Crucible” continues to be mounted and taught worldwide because it speaks to universal fears of social isolation and the unknown - fears especially present in a rapidly-changing world.” - The New York Times
“Shattering … both massive and humane, as much a chiseled monument as a gut-bucket suspense story … how firmly yet how gracefully Miller’s sturdy words and warnings still hold the stage. - Los Angeles Times
“Although this political thriller was written in response to America’s mid-20th century fever of McCarthyite witch hunts and the naming of names, there has … never been a time when the play was not relevant.” - Variety
AUDITIONS
Saturday, November 30 & Sunday, December 1 (1:00 - 4:00 PM)
Senior Callbacks, if needed, will be held Tuesday, December 3 (5:00 - 8:30 PM).
REHEARSALS
Tuesdays (5:30 - 8:30)
Wednesdays (4:00 - 6:30)
SUNDAYS (1:00 - 5:00)
Rehearsals begin Sunday, December 8. Not all performers will be called to all rehearsals, and those who are called may not be needed for the full time.
TECH WEEK
Monday, February 3 - Thursday, February 6 (5:00 - 9:00 PM)
Full attendance for all Tech Week rehearsals is mandatory.
PERFORMANCES
Friday, february 7 (7:00 PM)
Saturday, February 8 (7:00 PM)
SUNDAY, February 9 (2:00 PM)
Full attendance for all performances is mandatory.
IMPORTANT!
While auditions are open to all performers, this is a smaller production in which roles are limited; not all who audition are guaranteed a role.
Please note that The Crucible confronts themes of adultery, sexism, racism, mental health, and religious intolerance, including occasional PG-13 language.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
JOHN PROCTOR is a well-respected farmer in his 30s, strong and principled but burdened by guilt over an affair with Abigail; he struggles with integrity, redemption, and standing up to a corrupt society.
ELIZABETH PROCTOR is John’s loyal, reserved, and morally-upright wife; though forgiving and dignified, she is deeply hurt by her husband’s betrayal despite continuing to fight for him.
ABIGAIL WILLIAMS is a passionate young woman in her late teens, who is the primary instigator of the trials; intelligent, vengeful, and unrelenting, especially where her infatuation with John Proctor is concerned.
REVEREND JOHN HALE is a young, earnest minister and “witchcraft expert” called to Salem to investigate the accusations; initially zealous, he is gradually disillusioned by the trials’ injustices.
REVEREND SAMUEL PARRIS is the paranoid and self-serving minister of Salem; obsessed with his reputation, he often lacks compassion and plays a significant role in fueling the hysteria of the trials.
TITUBA is Reverend Parris’ slave from Barbados, and the first to be accused of witchcraft; kind-hearted yet superstitious, she becomes an easy scapegoat, representing the marginalized and vulnerable. (This role is available to performers of color.)
BETTY PARRIS is Reverend Parris’s young and impressionable daughter, whose mysterious illness first incites the fears of witchcraft in Salem.
MARY WARREN is the Proctors’ young and timid servant, who is easily influenced by others - particularly Abigail; caught between the truth and self-preservation, she struggles to resist the pressure of her peers.
MERCY LEWIS is a close friend of Abigail’s who works in the Putnam household; bold and sly, she enjoys the power she and her friends are given in the trials.
SUSANNA WALCOTT supports Abigail and her accusations, helping to perpetuate the hysteria when impressionably caught up in the excitement of the trials.
RUTH PUTNAM is the Putnams’ only surviving child; pressured by her mother, she becomes one of the accusers in the trial.
THOMAS PUTNAM is a wealthy, influential landowner with a vindictive streak, who assumedly uses the witch trials to gain more land and power.
ANN PUTNAM is a troubled woman haunted by the loss of her infant children; her grief and bitterness make her susceptible to belief in witchcraft.
REBECCA NURSE is a gentle, wise, and elderly woman known for her piety and integrity; respected in Salem, her accusation shocks the community and highlights the madness of the trial.
FRANCIS NURSE is a respected and principled farmer in Salem; he stands up to the court to defend his wife and others accused, representing reason amongst the hysteria.
GILES COREY is an elderly, outspoken farmer known for his wit and tenacity; he challenges the court, and in the end, dies heroically by defiantly refusing to falsely confess.
MARTHA COREY is known for her intelligence, and her love of reading and independent thinking makes her a target when she becomes skeptical of the trials.
SARAH GOOD is a mentally unstable women experiencing homelessness in Salem; her marginalized status makes her an easy target.
DEPUTY GOVERNOR DANFORTH is a stern, unwavering man who presides over the trials; he believes in absolute justice and refuses to consider he could be wrong, embodying the danger of unchecked authority.
EZEKIAL CHEEVER is a tailor and court clerk, responsible for arresting those accused of witchcraft; more dutiful than malicious, he blindly enforces the court’s decisions and demonstrates the dangers of unquestioning obedience.
MARSHAL HERRICK is the town marshall, overseeing the prisoners of the trial; he shows moments of compassion and discomfort with the severity of the trials.
HOPKINS is a jailer, assisting with prisoners and reinforcing the somber and oppressive atmosphere of the jail, highlighting the dehumanizing effect of the hysteria. (This role is non-speaking.)
STEP 1:
Fill out your performer information sheet.
NOTE: At this time, all in-person audition slots have been filled. Performers who have not yet registered are encouraged to fill out the form below, and submit a self-tape video audition.