Hello, everyone! Well, it's that time of week again--Spooky Spotlight time! Here's my previous spotlights, for AHS: Hotel, xxxHOLiC, and Rocky Horror specifically. For my last Spooky Spotlight of this October, I'm gonna highlight a play that my college's drama department has put on recently--The Crucible. While this one isn't strictly Halloween-y, if anything, its application and comparison to real life is... well, to be blunt, terrifying.

This play has a reputation for being timely no matter the time, dark, and depressing as all get-out. Whether it's the movie version or the version done by your high-school (spoiler alert: when my high school did it, I was Rebecca Nurse, in case you were wondering), it's a great play that makes you ask: If a witch-hunt (figurative or literal) were to start, could it be stopped?

The story follows a bunch of girls in Salem who, for risk of spoiling the plot, make a bunch of very bad and selfish decisions, that leads to an ungodly amount of people being killed because of their lies. Masterminded by the devious, devilish Abigail, the girls go on to ruin countless lives and change America forever through agressive scapegoating and the most infamous witch-hunt in American history. It's up to John Proctor, a local man who once had an affair with Abigail, to try and make things right after his wife is accused of being a witch. But, with a corrupt court and a bunch of misguided girls against him, can he change anything?

I know this summary doesn't do the play justice, but really, I'm barely scratching the surface. This play is considered a modern classic for a reason--its connections to McCarthyism are undeniable. This case haunts American history, playing in the popular imagination. This production, headed by professor Shirley Huston-Findley as director, connects it to modern-day politics, and does so eerily well. Upon entering the theater, viewers are greeted onstage by a tree whose branches are connected by rope in lieu of leaves, and a single swing, hanging in the background. This swing is Abigail's spot, where she perches over the events of the play like a vulture watching prey. The set design is sparse and modern, creating a sort of loneliness that you can feel when you see each scene. (Kudos to the scenic designer, Shannon Burrows!)

This production also is formatted in a way that makes everyone in the cast (or at least most of the cast) remain onstage during a scene instead of exiting and entering, which mimics the appearance of a congregation as they sit in pews to the side of the stage. It creates a claustrophobic feel, which I found very effective, especially during the trial scene in the second act.

The lighting was also wonderfully done, whether it was a night scene at the beginning, or the sunrise at the end of the play. It really accentuated the atmosphere, leaving me reeling. (Special shoutout to Kent Sprague the lighting designer, and Maira Senoo the light operator!) Costumes were also lovely, evoking the Puritan feel well, with a subtle splash of color so that the girls were a rainbow onstage. Great job to the costuming staff!

As for the acting, the entire cast worked hard, and it shows. I'd go on to list everyone, but if I did, we'd be here for a while, so I'll be brief: Whether it's the deviousness of Abigail (Tolly Colby) or John Proctor (George Marn)'s emotional journey through the trials in order to save his wife (Emma Farrenkopf), the leads played their roles wonderfully. Betty Parris (Cece Underwood) also deserves a shoutout for having one of the most convincing breakdowns I've seen onstage in a long time. Kudos! Also, I'd like to take a moment to highlight the stage manager, Lindsay Fannin, as I know stage managers almost never get the recognition they deserve. Great job!

So, anyway, my gushing for my fellow Wooster students aside, while this article will probably be published after the show's run has ended, it was definitely worth seeing. We can't afford to forget the horrors of mob mentality, and this play does a wonderful job of addressing that. Considering the current political climate, where we have a presidential candidate that regularly gaslights those who don't agree with him, and who calls for what are essentially witch-hunts on a regular basis, this production--and this play overall--is incredibly canny, and unbelievably haunting.