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Miller's 'Crucible' was never intended to be history
Olivia Shadid, Emma Francois, Abigail Whitson and Sarah Woldum rehearse for the November 13th opening of The Crucible. ANDREW WACKER / for Tulsa World
By KAREN SHADE World Scene Writer
Published: 11/10/2009 2:20 AM
Last Modified: 11/10/2009 8:20 AM
As love triangles go, the one at the heart of "The Crucible" often goes unnoticed.
Then again, Arthur Miller's 1953 drama was written as a mirror to the anti-communist sentiment that exploded as the Cold War grew and as Joseph McCarthy and his House Un-American Activities Committee spread fear. In those days, many artists, writers and intellectuals of the time were branded as political outcasts, tried and blacklisted. Many found it difficult to continue their work as a result.
Director Frank Gallagher, however, is more intrigued with the individuals, the usurp of power and the dynamics between men and women in a society that would not stand for deviation from the controlled center.
"It's not a history lesson," Gallagher said. "I mean, it wasn't a history lesson back then when he wrote it, and it's not a history lesson now. I think, unfortunately, because it's done so often by schools and because people read it in school that it becomes that for a lot of people."
Neither does "The Crucible" have any of the romantic lightness that "love triangle" often connotes these days. Miller's play is based on history. Set in Salem, Mass., in 1692, local farmer John Proctor has a good name and standing in the small puritanical community. He also has a good wife, Elizabeth Proctor, described as virtuous, yet cold like the rest of the society.
John, however, is hiding the sin of a past affair with the beautiful Abigail Williams, the orphaned niece of the town's reverend. Abigail worked in Proctor's house but was cast out when Elizabeth suspected the affair.
At the start of this story, the wily Abigail and some local girls have been caught dancing in the woods with the slave Tituba. One of the girls goes into a coma, starting rumors that witchcraft is involved.
In the hot seat, Tituba, Abigail and the other girls soon begin pointing fingers in hysteria, accusing various townspeople of consorting with the devil. Abigail accuses Elizabeth of being a witch, but John is torn between saving his wife and telling the people the truth of his previous affair with Abigail.
Gallagher said private sins, public reprisals and sudden outlets of freedom to those of lowest order in society interplay for some of the most fascinating roles in theater.
"Part of the problem with these girls was they just wanted to have some fun," Gallagher said. "They formed a circle where they did have some fun. They went out, maybe they danced or maybe they did some fortune telling. When they got caught, all of a sudden things got very, very ugly."
In a community where having a little fun was deeply frowned upon, superstition casts an unflattering light on any potential common enemy. Historically, the area had been rife with tension between settlers and the indigenous tribes of Massachusetts, and the colony had lost its royal charter under the British crown. Everyone was looking for someone to blame.
"Fear is pervasive in this culture," he said. "Fear just destroys. It's how you tear a community apart, and that's exactly what happened in Salem."
THE CRUCIBLE
When: 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday
and Nov. 19-21; 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: Liddy doenges Theatre
of the Tulsa Performing Arts
Center, 110 e. Second St.
Tickets are $15, available at the
PAC box office, 596-7111, and
online at tulsaworld.com/mytix.
Karen Shade 581-8334
karen.shade@tulsaworld.com
By KAREN SHADE World Scene Writer
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