Play Suggestions: The Crucible

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The Crucible

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Play Suggestions
Forum Discription: Need help finding a show that's right for your theater? Ask here.
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1718
Printed Date: 5/04/24 at 9:09am
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Topic: The Crucible

Posted By: Julien
Subject: The Crucible
Date Posted: 11/04/05 at 6:13pm

does anyone have opinions on this show for high school?

what are the hardest parts of staging or performing the crucible?

is it attainale by a high school?

Replies:

Posted By: castMe
Date Posted: 11/04/05 at 6:21pm

Why, oh why would anyone want to do this show in HS? Like Death of a Salesman, I guess every should see it at least once, but dry, dated and deathly long.

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Investigate. Imagine. Choose.

Posted By: bernster74
Date Posted: 11/08/05 at 1:25pm

I disagree - I think the Crucible is a parable for our times. The McCarthy hearings were not all that long ago and Miller has some of his best dialogue in this piece. Plus, you've got a cast of 20-25, so you can cast many of your actors. The set is very simple (by Miller's request) and the costumes can be simple or very detailed. Minimal props. I think it's a perfect high school show. I did this show in an adult theatre and it was one of the best sellers we had.

Posted By: ipspea
Date Posted: 11/08/05 at 3:33pm

We just closed this show - very good show! And I think it's suitable for a HS production. As far as the set, simple is right on! Ours was a raked stage, floor stained/painted to resemble plank flooring, and then just framing. No walls, just the furniture and lighting was VERY VERY VERY effective! Our audiences couldn't say enough about it!

Posted By: DWolfman
Date Posted: 11/08/05 at 5:07pm

Our high school did "The Crucible" and it was well received.

The most difficult part was the courtroom scene where everyone is onstage at once with scattered lines pages apart. Most of the kids had trouble keeping the flow and concentrating. During one performance, the guy playing the judge forgot his lines and broke into a laughing fit. Luckily, most of the kids were able to paraphrase and keep the show going. (!!Embarrassing moments in theatre!!)

As others have posted, it is a wonderful, classic play in the first place with great parts for males and females and a huge number of them.

An industrious drama teacher could even garner assistance and cross-curricular tie-ins with history and literature departments.

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Even a man who is pure of heart...

Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 11/08/05 at 6:08pm

dry?
dated?
deathly long?
oh, but you have only seen a really bad production.

It's hardly dry - in fact, quite the opposite: it borders on the
melodramatic.
And I think it's incredibly relevant to our society today - maybe even
more so.
And, I will grant you LOL it's long - but not deathly so, IMO.

I love this play!

Posted By: Thespian_4_ever
Date Posted: 3/24/06 at 5:45pm

Wonderful Show... Never seen it in a HS but I bet it would work...

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