PIQUA — The Edison Stagelight Players will present “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, Oct. 27 through Nov. 5 in the Robinson Theater at Edison State Community College’s Piqua campus.
Cast members include six Shelby County actors: Jessica Poeppelman, of Fort Loramie, as Tituba; Raven Boerger, of Russia, as Abigail Williams, Clarissa Kiehl, of Houston, as Susanna Walcott; and Sean McSwain, Steven Farris and Ryan Hurley, all of Sidney, as Thomas Putnam, John Proctor and the Rev. John Hale, respectively. Josh Didier, of Versailles, portrays Ezekiel Cheever.
Set in 17th-century Salem, Massachusetts, “The Crucible” is a story based upon true events of the Salem witch trials. In the play, the village of Salem falls to shambles when rumors spread that a group of women are practicing witchcraft. Jealousy and deceit contribute to a petrifying outcome that reflects both the past and the future.
Known as a riveting historical play and a timely allegory of contemporary society, Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” was the winner of the 1953 Tony Award for Best Play.
Director Matthew Beisner, of Troy, is enthusiastic about producing this classic play. “I have wanted to direct this show for years. It’s a masterpiece of modern American theater. Most people know that the play was written as an allegory to McCarthyism. Its true subject is the political hysteria and figurative witch hunting in the 1950s, when anti-Communist radicals like Sen. Joseph McCarthy and the House Committee on Un-American Activities controlled the land. ‘The Crucible’ has been politically relevant since it was written, but social media and the digital age have made this play more timely than ever. So I thought it was the right time to finally bring it to the stage.”
Performances will be Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 5 at 3 p.m.
Tickets for the show cost $7 for adults, $5 for students, and $3 for seniors and are available for purchase with cash at the door. Children under five are not permitted into the theater during the performance. For information, call 937-778-8600.
Others in the cast are Zaidee Himes and Emily Beisner, both of Huber Heights; Chris Garner, Jocelynn Garner, Craig Gilbert, Patrick Stone and Paul Simmons, all of Piqua; Sandy Hartley and Matthew Cline, both of Arcanum; Allison Nicodemus, of Bradford, Melinda Spivey, of Tipp City, and Kevin Grogean, of Fletcher,
