Palisades Charter High School presented Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” in a finale performance this weekend, capturing the dark days surrounding the 1692 Salem Witch Trials.
The accusations flew and emotions ran high as the young cast made their way gracefully through the bold dialogue and challenging themes. Characters became entangled in the lies and trials of young village girls who claim to be spellbound by demons in an effort to escape the punishment for their dangerous curiosity.
“I have such a remarkable group of students this year,” Director Cheri Smith said. “They are such intelligent performers who truly have an understanding of the depth of this show. That really makes a difference and you can see it on stage.”
The actual 1692 witch-hunts of Salem, Massachusetts, provided Miller with an analogy for the 1950s McCarthy trials that persecuted artists who had even the slightest ties to Communism.
Set among the famed Salem witch-hunts, Miller set the scene for the telling story of farmer John Proctor, whose upright wife, Elizabeth, is accused of witchcraft by young Abigail Williams, their former servant with whom John commits adultery.
“Proctor isn’t one to do things just to conform and while he wouldn’t admit it, he doesn’t adhere to the Puritan rules for life,” said senior Ben Fuligini of his role. “He does however, value honesty and frugality and hard work. But he’s broken his own rules and that conflict drives him through the performance.”
It was clear from the audience these young performers had an impressive knowledge of their characters, revealing layers of complexities as the plot unfolded on stage.
Throughout the rendition, Rev. Samuel Parris played by Ryan Blake, convincingly moves from a self-centered accuser to a broken man who realizes his role in the grim happenings in Salem. Like Parris, Ann and Thomas Putnam (Claire Kotarski and Michael Kirshner/Skyler Kirkpatrick) portray a strong conflict between saving their afflicted daughter and adhering to the standards of the Puritan community. Kotarski effectively conveys Ann Putnam’s despair and resentment at midwife Rebecca Nurse, played by Hollie Dee Hodgson whose children remain unharmed. Hodgson performed beautifully as a nurturing contrast to the play’s other characters.
Zach Handler commanded the stage as the irrational and power-hungry Deputy Governor Danforth alongside Harrison Fahn in the role of Rev. Hale who sets out to expel the devil from Salem but discovers the real evil is in the court itself. The two prowl around the stage boasting divine power and preying on the fear of the villagers.
The vengeful Abigail, played by freshman Karsen Liotta, has no qualms about sending Elizabeth and others to their deaths in a fury of wild accusations. In the difficult role, Liotta was most impressive in her manipulation of the court and her ability to draw contempt for her character from the audience.
The chorus of village girls wonderfully broke into improvised chaos on several occasions, creating an important tension for the audience and moving the show forward. These cast members were pivotal in creating an atmosphere of fear and disorder. It is clear to the audience this is a town of frightened and morally convicted people who know that one wrong move could lead to their death.
In her breakout role, junior Sophia McCullough was notable as Mary Warren whose hysteria was as credible as it was grim.
“Mary is very selfish, but in a quiet way. She is easily influenced by all of the chaos,” McCullough said. “With the trials, she sees an opportunity to further herself in society and gain a power she never thought she could have.”
Natalie Damico, as Elizabeth, artfully portrayed the shame and doubt that flow from her husband’s infidelity. She shines in the heart-wrenching scene between herself and her husband, when her raw and unspoken anguish is made clear. When she willingly goes to the courts for a sin she did not commit, the quiet sadness Damico delivers is wildly convincing, as it is uncomfortable to watch.
In an explosive finale, Fuligini delivers a powerful performance as John Proctor, pulling from the buildup of fear and madness every character worked to create throughout the performance.
The culmination of just six weeks of rehearsal, the supporting cast and tech group gifted the audience with an outstanding performance. The wealth of talent among these young performers was incredible. In all, the drama was ripe with passionate performances, and the cast is to be commended for their ability to clearly illuminate the timeless social and moral conflicts from lights to curtain.
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