Emotion. This is the greatness of theater. To replicate to one’s peers the emotion of a story. I must be honest; I have not attended many plays. But this performance moved me as I sat and watched. I became engrossed in the story and desired to be a part of it, to discuss it, or to write about it. The Trapdoor Theater has put together a powerful work that should be acclaimed, if not by others, by me. 

The Crucible is a dynamic story. The all too human characters of John Proctor, Elizabeth, Abigail, and all the others fill us with grief and a sense of flawed human greatness. Proctor’s search for honesty in a corrupt world, Elizabeth’s quiet love for her husband and willingness to sin to save his name, and the lust of Abigail for John and her malicious plan to be with him forever. These three characters are the center for the story and create a basis for love and woe. They are large parts to play and were portrayed beautifully by the student actors.

 I praise John Proctor, played by Cole Henrickson, for his goodness in a world where it seems that “God is dead!” I admire Elizabeth, played by Rachel Sandefur, who in her own way loved her husband through thick and thin until the end when her own goodwill brought his death. Finally, I hate Abigail, played by Amanda Rooker for her childish musings of a life lived in a bloody lie.

Henrickson, Sandefur, and Rooker all led me to emotional involvement in the drama. Their talent is present and powerful. They led me through the fiery furnace that was once said will forge the greatest of men and women. This is the crucible. In adversity one works through till the end to reap the rewards of achievement.

 And the Trapdoor Theater of San Juan Hills did just that. I asked the Assistant Director of the play, Devon Watson, how they selected the actors for the drama.

 “We based the casting off of chemistry,” said Watson. Several characters, such as Proctor, Elizabeth, and Abigail would be casted together and have to work well as a group. They found great chemistry and performed beautifully in the play.

 In the end the play was a fantastic performance by the theater.

“I just hope people enjoyed it” said Watson. We’ll I thoroughly enjoyed it and know that the students who witnessed the production did as well.