By John Lyle Belden
A dance popular among children. A young influencer has everyone’s attention. Politics heavily influenced by Christian extremists. Racism. Small-town paranoia involving old grudges. Plots to seize property. Judges ruling unjustly. People die.
2026? Not exactly.
Main Street Productions of Westfield present “The Crucible,” the drama Arthur Miller wrote about the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, inspired by the Red Scare of the 1950s, and echoing in every era that it is staged. While there is some dramatic license, what we see is largely how events transpired.
The Rev. Parris (Sidney Blake) discovers girls in the woods near Salem dancing – a sin in itself – and in a strange manner, led by his slave from Barbados, Tituba (Jada Moon). His daughter Betty (Diya Shah), seeing her father, passes out and awakens at home still and mute.
At his wits end and needing to get ahead of rumors of unholy goings-on, Rev. Parris calls for the Rev. John Hale (Daniel Ott), an expert in things demonic, to confirm that witchcraft is not involved. But after a forced confession from Tituba and outcry from the girls, especially Parris’s niece, Abigail (Piper Williams), the infamous historic witch hunt is under way.
The “afflicted” girls include Fiona Finn as Susanna, Dhruvi Shah as Mercy, and Louisa Dobson as Mary.
Among notable townsfolk: Thomas and Ann Putnam (Jurrell Spencer and Amber K. Roth) are rich in property but have buried seven stillborn children and their one daughter is sick after the dancing incident; they are convinced supernatural evil is involved. Local farmers Giles Corey (Richard Steinberg), Francis Nurse (Jim Simmons), and John Proctor (JB Scoble) find their concern turn to dread as suspicion falls on them. Even Mrs. (said as “Goody” for Goodwife) Rebecca Nurse (Susan Boilek Smith), a pillar of the community, is not immune as Goody Putnam remembers she was her midwife. Sarah Good (Christina King) is also named in the accusations.
John Proctor’s situation is particularly fraught, as Mary is his current servant, who replaced Abigail, with whom he unwisely shared affection. Soon, his wife Elizabeth (Megan Fridenmaker) is accused with “evidence” found in her possession.
For the trials we have Clerk of the Court Ezekiel Cheever (James H. Williams), deputy John Willard (Jacob Slager), Judge Hathorne (Ken Kingshill) and cruel Deputy-Governor Danforth (Duane Mercier).
Directed by Brent Wooldridge with Caity Withers, the cast deliver powerful performances, especially Scoble in his pivotal role. Piper Williams gives a chilling portrayal of calculating, almost sociopathic behavior. Smith presents fierce bravery, edged with humor at the absurdity of it all. Blake’s Parris reveals himself more of a compromising, almost political figure than a man of God. Fridenmaker is inspiring as the one who passes through the “crucible” of these events. Ott also elicits our empathy as the character most changed by these events.
Also impressive are the sets designed and built by Andrew and Melody Burnett, featuring a gallows – with a pair of nooses – always looming in the background. Thia Calley is stage manager.
“The Crucible” has four more performances, Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 15-18 at the Basile Westfield Playhouse, 220 N. Union St. Get tickets at westfieldplayhouse.org. We highly recommend this production as a reminder of the context of a “witch hunt,” even when someone on high exclaims it for his own purposes.
