July 2, 2016 – The well known and often performed, “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller is playing at the Jujamcyn owned – Walter Kerr Theatre. It opened in previews on March 1, 2016, with Opening night on March 31, 2016 and will close on July 17, 2016.  It has a long history on Broadway where it premiered at the Martin Beck Theatre for the first six months on 1953; returning for a month (April/May) at the Belaso Theatre in 1964; a little over a month (April/June) at the Vivian Beumont in 1972; at the Belasco for a month at year end 1991; Three months in 2002 at the Virginia Theatre and this the 6th revival in 2016. It is set in Salem, MA surfing the Salem Witch Trial era in 1692. It received 4 Tony Award nominations in 2016 with no wins, but did get a Drama Desk Award for music in a play. It was directed by Ivo van Hove with the original score by Philip Glass and written by Arthur Miller (1915-2005).

While the show set in Puritan Salem Massachussetts in the late 17th Century during and about the Salem Witch Trials, it was written as an allegory of the McCarthy Communist “Trials” taking place in Washington DC at the time. While the play is a historical interpretation it does take creative liberties and merges several characters into one, for sake of convenience and other such relatively minor changes. It opens as a group of girls let by Abigail (played by Saoirse Ronan) the nice of local The Reverend Parris (played by Jason Butler Harner) and with whom he had an affair, and his daughter Betty Parris (played by Elizabeth Teeler) who has slipped into a coma following being caught “doing witchcraft” in the woods by the Reverend.  They await the arrival of the expert in witchcraft – The Reverend John Hale (played by Bill Camp) who examines the now awake Betty and after chatting with the girls, determines that witchcraft has been performed. Abigail and Betty name names and the crowd of townsfolk erupt in an uproar. The story continues in a weave of claims and counter-claims, honor and accusations and soon spirals into the Salem Witch Trials and the eventual execution of the key players.

The play is a dark, single set with movable props, powerful depiction of this classic play. It is well worth seeing and the characters come to life. Abigail as a child perfrms her role very well and excellent direction make this a must see show.