Last weekend’s performance of The Crucible at Becker High School was a bewitching production so well played by student actors, one almost expected to see Daniel Day Lewis walk onto the stage in a brief cameo appearance.
The Crucible, set in late 17th-century Massachusetts in the middle of the Salem witchcraft trials, is a play written by Arthur Miller and directed by Joe Rand. This weekend’s play starred Carly Pruszinske as Abigail Williams, Justin Kimmerle as John Proctor and Sarenity Klein as Elizabeth Proctor.
The set dressing was minimal, consisting of a few furniture items in each scene that allowed the focus to be on the characters and what they had to say or do. The costuming was meticulous and the sound rather quaint, but the solid performances emanated the theater and captured the delight of each and every audience member.
Scene I depicted Williams (Pruszinske) and Rev. Samuel Parris (Nathaniel Hed) having a conversation around the bedside of Parris’ daughter Betty (Emily Krogstad), who is out of sorts. The interaction between Pruszinske and Hed set the tone for what was expected for the night as their sometimes heated exchanges got the story rolling steadfast.
It was impressive to watch the actors outside their talking moments and see how they stayed in character with their facial expressions and body gestures. Throughout the play, Pruszinske came across as sometimes sweet, sometimes caring but always conniving. Every once in a while you’d see a likeable expression emerge, but within a moment or two, she’d revert to those devilish eyes and deceitful smile.
Kimmerle was equally as impressive on stage as he commanded attention with his boisterous voice and grizzly look. His character goes from loving and kind husband to tormented adulterer to regretful participant. Kimmerle’s portrayal of John Proctor was deep and rich and when he entered the stage, one knew the performance was going to shine.
Klein played a meek yet strong woman as Proctor’s wife and — in her own words — was a far cry from some of her latest characters in more recent productions. She pulled off her character traits of composure, virtue and suspicion while a hint of her vindictiveness surfaced when we learned she was responsible for giving the boot to the housekeeper after suspecting the sin of her husband.
There were many more profound and superb performances including Samantha Pounds’ performance as Mary Warren. Even though her character didn’t particularly have an inordinate amount of lines in the play, her character was central to the show and when she was on stage, her performance away from the main characters was compelling and real.
One of her main attributes was to be a sobbing mess and she pulled off those scenes in her sleep.
The play’s climax materializes in the courtroom scene where a dozen or so actors are on stage ready to bring the story alive. As the story progressed to this point, one could definitely start to feel anxiety in the room and an eagerness to learn the outcome — though most in the audience most likely had seen the TV version or the movie on the big screen.
One of the most stirring scenes was when Williams (Pruszinske) and some of the other girls accused of practicing witchcraft are overcome with confusion and hsyteria — screaming and yelling that Mary Warren’s spirit is alive in the room and attacking them — which no one else can see. Pounds admirably pleads with the girls to stop their nonsense, yet the villainous Pruszinske plays her character to a “T” and stirs the court into a frenzy.
The sad part is this play really has no happy ending. One learns later that through some forced confessions and a litany of lies, hundreds of people are charged with witchcraft and 12 were hanged and many placed in prison.
Kimmerle again does a stellar job of showing his torment in the final scenes of being pressed to confess in participating in witchcraft, signing the confession, then refusing to hand it over. As he and the others argue about his character — which is all he’s got left — he renounces his confession entirely, ripping up the signed document.
The play ends with Kimmerle being led away tot he gallows while Klein standing in her tranquility and coolness, proclaims he has retained his honor.
Other incredible performances came from the following students: Judea Demars (Tituba), Kelli Lumley (Susanna Wallcott), Frannie Bowles (Ann Putnam), Ethan Quill (Thomas Putnam), Gabrielle Proefrock (Mercy Lewis), Laura Niday (Rebecca Nurse), Corey Christianson (Giles Corey), William Schendel (Rev. John Hale), Evan Schafer (Francis Nurse), Rhiley Larson (Ezekial Cheever), Tyler Wasserbauer (John Willard), Blake Paulson (Judge Hawthorne), Bryce Boser (Danforth), Haley Vanzee (Sarah Good), Brendan Potter (Hopkins), Emily Tesmer (Martha Corey) and Sierra Vilmo (Ruth Putnam).
The actors who made up the puritan ensemble were Jarrod Favilla, Evan Girtz, Carolyn Lyon, Michelle Johnson, Grace Klapak, Amber Mechtel, Maddie Diemert and McKenzie Tollefson.
