Witches playing at RCHS?
In the courtroom scene are actors (left to right) Cole Owens, Morgan Hayes, Louise Macdonald, Katt Domingue, Cristina Vazquez, Aimee Shnebeck, Jacob Donaldson, Hayley Zulkoski and Quinn Kennedy.
Article by Kathy Dunker with photos by Alan Treibitz
The Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) thespians, led by instructor, Cindy Baker, did an outstanding performance last month to Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. The play follows the story of the crazed witch hunts and trials in Salem, Massachusetts, during the 17th century.
The theme of the story is rising over adversity, and standing for the truth even to death. In the end, protagonist John Proctor cleanses himself at the trial, stands for what he knew was right and dies a righteous person. The story is also a reminder of a tragic piece of inhumanity in early American history.
Miller wrote The Crucible in 1953 during the McCarthy period when Americans were accusing each other of Pro-Communist beliefs. Many of Miller’s friends were being attacked as communists and even Miller himself was brought before the House of Un-American Activities Committee where he was found guilty for his beliefs in communism. Thus, the story in some ways relates to Miller’s own life.
Cindy Baker commented, “The kids did a terrific job tackling some very tough material: both in the situation of the play and in the language. The Crucible is core literature in most high school English classes, and I think all of the cast and crew really did it justice.”
Four of the girls who are actively accusing others of witchcraft when they find
out their lies are unraveling played by (left to right) Louise Macdonald,
Katt Domingue, Cristina Vazquez, and Aimee Shnebeck.
John Proctor, played by Ben Bush, with Elizabeth Proctor, played by Ellen Hefner,
as they find out that Elizabeth has been accused of witchcraft.
