Chico State’s production of “The Crucible” captured the true horror of a witch hunt in a community that values pride and reputation over all else.
Upon arrival at the Harlen Adams Theater in the Performance Arts Center, audience members were immersed in the world of “The Crucible” as the Girls of Salem – the ensemble of the show – wore their white costumes, danced outside near the entrance and posed above the ticket booth.
For the Friday night show, there was a decent-sized crowd chatting amongst themselves as the lights dimmed and the Girls of Salem made their way through the isles of the seats to the stage.
The set was minimalistic with props such as benches and beds to denote location while in the background there were bare trees sitting in front of a color-changing screen, shifting in accordance with the mood.
During the second act, courtroom scenes, a set piece made of wooden planks, with a cross in the negative space of the planks, was flown in.
The show opened with a dance number from the Girls of Salem to a rendition of “Savage Daughter” originally performed by Wyndreth Berginsdottir.
As they danced the lighting shifted between pairs of contrasting colors and the scene represented the inciting incident of the play – a group of young women from Salem were discovered dancing by Reverend Samuel Parris, played by Ben Boyer.
The show takes place in Puritan New England in 1692 where strict rules and social norms for residents were instilled by the Puritan church. As these rules are broken, characters do anything possible to deflect and maneuver out of the shame of the public eye.
The direction from Chico State Professor John Crosthwaite conveyed the rigidness of Puritan life in contrast to the eccentric portrayal of the witches at the top of the play.
The scenes of the residents made good use of the space but felt restricted in comparison to the Girls of Salem who were unbound to the fourth-wall. The immersion before the show reinforced the oppressive and harsh nature of Salem in the residents’ scenes.
Emma Lam, who played Abigail Williams, was the driving force behind maintaining the dramatic mood. Lam portrayed both Abigail’s desperation and her conniving nature throughout each scene with Jaun Sanchez – who played John Proctor.
Perhaps the best use of the set lighting came from the scene of Abigail threatening the other girls who were involved with the witchcraft at the beginning into remaining silent while the screen in the background turned into a deep red as Lam’s delivery ramped up.
Sanchez hit his stride in the second act specifically during the courtroom scenes and all accumulated into a well-executed ending monologue. His scenes with Ashley Olson – Elizabeth Proctor – showcased a more subtle performance from both Sanchez and Olson which provided levity compared to the intensity of the rest of the play.
In a play that demands an almost-histrionic performance from all the actors, Adrian Diaz as Dep. Governor Danforth – the judge presiding over the courtroom in the second act – managed to balance the dramatic seriousness of the role while clearly having fun with the dialogue.
Both Diaz and Seth Ryan Trachtman – as Giles Corey who delivered his lines with a thick accent and portrayed Giles as larger than life – provided a refreshing lighter energy to the show.
Unfortunately, while the actors did their best to project their lines to the audience, the lack of mics made it difficult to understand some of the actors during the scream-crying delivery and for some of the softer parts.
At the end of the performance, a cast member announced that eight Chico State students would be sent to New York for a Senior Showcase; however, they will only be allowed to go if there is funding for all eight students. QR codes were posted outside of the theater for audience members to donate. To donate, click here.
The next theater production from Chico State, “Next to Normal” – a musical exploring mental illness and the effects it has on family – will be performing the weekend of Nov. 15-17.
Nadia Hill can be reached at [email protected].
