‘THE CRUCIBLE’
Westerville Central High School students are getting into the Halloween spirit of witchcraft with their fall play, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.
More than 25 students star in the creepy drama, which will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 29-31, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1.
Theater Director Megan Corbin said it is a privilege working with the group of students.
“They’ve done very well tackling very difficult language and a mature theme,” Corbin said. “We’ve had a lot of fun with the fact that we’re opening the show on Halloween weekend.”
The earthy set, with artificial trees, a prison cell and a courtroom, was designed by a tech crew of 30 students.
“It’s a set that’s creepy and dark, but still true to the story,” Corbin said.
The historical drama about the Puritan purge of witchcraft in Salem, Mass., was the winner of the 1953 Tony Award for Best Play.
A young farmer’s wife is accused of witchcraft by a young servant girl and when the farmer goes to court to save his wife, he also is accused of witchcraft.
Senior Patrick Petrilla, who plays Reverend Paris, said the language in the play was quite tough to master.
“It’s all old-timey and like Old English,” Petrilla said.
“It’s difficult because it’s English, but we don’t talk like that anymore so it’s tricky to wrap your head around,” he said.
Sophomore Noah Martin, who plays Danforth, noted this is one of the first dramas they’ve done at Central.
“I like doing dramas,” Martin said. “We can be more than just funny and it really challenges us.”
Senior Kaylee Showalter, who plays Elizabeth Proctor, said she and a lot of students already were familiar with the play.
“We knew who we wanted to audition for and had a better idea of how to act the role,” Showalter said.
Tickets cost $6 and the play is rated PG-13 with some elements not suitable for very young children.
Debbie Gillum Wakefield 