Piper Williams

A hunt for witches in Westfield

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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.

BCP: The importance of I, You, and We

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By John Lyle Belden

“You’re not really what I expected today.”

Those words are by celebrated playwright Lauren Gunderson, in “I and You,” presented by Buck Creek Players. They are spoken by Caroline, a girl uncertain which will come first – the end of her senior year of high school, or the end of her life.

The words that take on the most meaning are in verses by 19th-century American poet Walt Whitman. Caroline (Piper Williams) is greeted by them – “In this mystery here I stand” – said by unexpected visitor Anthony (Braeden Adams).  They are classmates, though they have never met. She mostly lives in her bedroom, having spent her life in bad health and now needing a liver transplant. He says he is her project partner in American Lit class, needing to make a presentation on the use of “I,” “You,” and “We” in Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass.”

She is furious at first, untrusting, rejecting. But he persists that he’s just there to complete the assigned homework and eventually gets to stay. She has no interest in old poetry, then becomes intrigued. He states she should be able to relate to it, a regrettable statement as it hints at the topic of her health. Their verbal dance gets more intricate as it goes along, addressing her condition, getting to know other aspects of each other, learning about his own heartbreak.

Williams and Adams are brilliant in this dramedy pas de deux, directed by Cathy Cutshall, assisted by Scout Dunlevy.

Cutting and catty, Williams gives us the girl in a frustrating situation few can relate with, not so much afraid of death but tired of years of staring it down. She has low tolerance for those being “nice” as she has long learned to sense its shallow cover for others’ discomfort.

With kindly persistence, Adams gives us the boy who likes girls but not interacting with their various moods. This situation has paired him with someone who intrigues him, and whom he can’t help liking – though cautiously. He seems willing to open up, sharing aspects of his life and the things he enjoys, though we sense a bigger secret in his demeanor.

Complete with a treasured Turtle and an energetic air-piano solo, we see this important project through to its end. The result is uplifting, heartwarming and memorable.

As always, all work here is volunteered, including the excellent set design and build (Carolyn’s neatly decorated upstairs bedroom) by Susanne Bush.

BCP is also involving the Indiana Donor Network with an ad in the program and a table in the lobby. For information on becoming an organ donor, visit donatelifeindiana.org.

Performances are Friday through Sunday, April 17-19, at Buck Creek Playhouse, 11150 Southeastern Ave., Indianapolis (Acton Road exit off I-74). See buckcreekplayers.com.

‘Almost’ feels just right

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By John Lyle Belden

In troubling times, it is good to take a moment to relax, have a smile or even a laugh, and just look at the Northern Lights.

Welcome to “Almost, Maine,” that quirky township on the edge of the map now reachable through Main Street Productions of Westfield. It seems like every community theatre makes a stop there eventually, and with good reason: In this John Cariani comedy, the series of gentle, funny scenes of love lost and found are refreshing, life-affirming and very entertaining.

For a true community effort, director Kathy Watson selected a full cast for the various characters, with only a couple of actors doubling roles.

Offstage spouses Justin and Anna Spack play a couple who explore just how “close” they can get. Scott Hall is a man who “fixes things” when a camper (Karen Cones) sets up in his yard, and later is a frustrated husband whose wife (Lea Ellingwood) is seeking a shoe – and a sign. It’s “Drink Free If You’re Sad” night at The Moose Paddy, with Aaron Beal, Piper Williams, and Ryley Trottier as the friendly waitress. Beal also spends time with his best bud (Quinn Simonson) comparing “baddest date” stories. Hannah Partridge is an almost-nurse encountering a man (Austin Uebelhor) who almost has that rare condition in which one’s nerves don’t register pain. Amber Roth and Grant Bowen portray a couple who gave so much love to each other – where do you put it all? Jan Borcherding plays Hope, a woman who moved away to find her place in the world, returning to a familiar house with an unfamiliar face (Thom Johnson). Finally, Rosemary Meagher and Mike Sosnowski struggle to see what is right before them, wary of what comes next, or even next-next.

Jeezum-crow! That is a lot going on for such a small (almost) town.

Watson brings out the charming best in a troupe of varying stage experience. Considering the playhouse is in what used to be a small town, the atmosphere is almost perfect. Stage sets and those colorful lights are designed by Kristina Lawyer and producer Bill Miller, whose many jobs included assisting Watson and designing the projected captions over the stage. Jeremy Crouch is stage manager.

Theatrical comfort food to warm a cold month, “Almost, Maine” is open to visitors through Sunday, Feb. 15 (including Valentine’s Day!) at the Westfield Basile Playhouse, 220 N. Union St. Note that there is still ongoing downtown construction, but the way to the theater is clear. Get info and tickets at westfieldplayhouse.org.

Mud Creek goes ‘Barefoot’

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By John Lyle Belden

Seeing a comedy by Neil Simon is kind of like treating yourself to a really nice meal. It just feels so good and satisfying. This is certainly true with the highly-quotable silly-even-when-serious fun of “Barefoot in the Park,” presented by Mud Creek Players, directed by Michelle Moore.

In the anything can happen time and place of 1960s New York, newlyweds Paul and Corie Bratter (Matthew Blandford and Piper Williams) move into their first apartment – a fifth-floor walk-up. Corie eagerly awaits a delayed furniture delivery, but the only arrival is the phone company man (Kevin Smith), who feels every step of the five flights (plus stoop). Soon Paul arrives from his job as a lawyer and while his wife giddily accepts their new place, he can’t help but see its many flaws.

Next to ascend the eternal stairs is Corie’s mother, Ethel (Barb Weaver). To see the apartment after it’s furnished, she agrees to return that Friday for dinner.

Paul is also annoyed – while Corie is pleased – to find that their brownstone is full of eccentric tenants, especially their upstairs (attic) neighbor, aging worldly raconteur Victor Velasco (Chris Otterman). Feeling her mom could use some spice in her life, Corie invites him to dinner Friday as well. And that weekend, things get very spicy.

Simon likes to throw together odd couples, and Williams and Blandford portray well their tested love in a comic clash between one who leaps into life and one who prefers to just sit and get some work done. Corie gets almost too manic, yet that overwhelming nature plays into the second-act antics as Paul finds himself literally on the edge. Weaver nicely plays the woman feeling her adventurous years were behind her, finding herself in her wildest one yet. Otterman’s Victor is a gentlemanly force of nature, not so much chewing the scenery as serving it up with the perfect seasoning.

Smith gets to be charming while his AT&T tech catches his breath. In addition, Jackson Hawkins plays the Delivery Man, who not only finally brings furniture at the end of the first scene, but also appears at major scene changes to summon the stage crew – including Alexandra Sarell and stage manager Dallas Ganz – to move things around as needed.

So feast your senses (and “don’t forget to ‘pop’ it!”) at “Barefoot in the Park,” Thursday through Saturday, May 15-17, at Mud Creek Players “Barn,” 9740 E. 86th St., Indianapolis. Get tickets at mudcreekplayers.org.