JHHS thespians push envelope with Miller’s ‘The Crucible’

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

By Grace Hammond

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-If there’s anything scarier than a witch, it’s a witch hunt.

Jackson Hole High School tackles the more disturbing of the two as 23 student actors present Arthur Miller’s classic play, “The Crucible,” this week.

Theater-lovers will have five opportunities to watch local, burgeoning thespians try their hands at intense drama at 7:30 p.m. this Friday and Saturday and Nov. 1-3 at the Jackson Hole High School auditorium.

Written in 1953, “The Crucible” is based on the 1692 witch trials of Salem, Mass. It was penned as an allegory for McCarthyism and the Red Scare, and Miller himself was questioned by the House of Representatives’ Committee on Un-American Activities just three years after its publication.

The play tells a story of witchcraft hysteria, focusing particularly on one historical figure, John Proctor, who in the 17th century accused a young girl of being a witch, leading to a sensation “trial.”

Evie Lewis, JHHS drama teacher and the producer and director of the play, said Miller based the play on actual events – the court documents still exist – though he made many changes for dramatic effect. For example, “He changed the age of the afflicted girl, Abigail Williams, from 11 to 17 or 18,” she said, to add another layer of intensity via an adulterous relationship.

“I resisted doing such a heavy drama in the past,” Lewis said. “It’s an incredibly emotionally complex and sophisticated play. I think the kids are really rising to the challenge of that.”

When hunting for a good fall production, Lewis considered “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” but found that the “meaty” parts were all for male actors and the characters were skewed to an older age.

“I like to find plays that have more parts that are inside of the kids’ [age] range, which are more in 15 to 25 group than 35 to 80,” Lewis said. “It’s a challenge to find the right age and gender distribution.

“One of the problems that we have in finding scripts is that typically, and to this day, they are most commonly written [with parts for] mostly men, but in [our] auditions, the girls outnumber the guys three-to-one, so I’m always looking for scripts that feature a lot of girls.”

Last year, Lewis rewrote “Dracula” to include more women.
Auditions were open to any high school student in Teton County.

“This time, we have 23 kids from the Jackson Hole High School and Community School and a large support group,” Lewis said.

The production is one of two annual all-school productions. Last year featured “Dracula” in the fall and “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” in the spring.

 “The Crucible” has been adapted for film twice, earning Miller an Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay Based on Previously Produced Material. Composer Robert Ward adapted the play into an opera in 1961 and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his efforts.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors and are available at the door. Call 732-3763 for more information.
PERMALINK:
JHHS thespians push envelope with Miller’s ‘The Crucible’ | Planet JH News Article: Jackson Hole High School

Leave a Comment