By Tammy Ashworth (October 31, 2002)

Arthur Miller’s classic play ‘The Crucible,’ was first performed in 1953. On the surface, the four-act play appears to be little more than an account, albeit somewhat fictionalized, of the travesties of the Salem witch trials. At the time, however, ‘The Crucible,’ served as a harsh attack on the McCarthy-led campaign of national agitation and anti-Communist sentiment in our country, creating a distinct parallel between the distant 17^th century witch trials and the persecution of suspected Communists in America in the 1950s.

Although the times of the Communist trials have passed, Miller’s once-controversial play endures as both a popular work in its own right, and as a powerful reminder of the dangers of social hysteria. In this spirit, a winning ensemble of Mason actors performed the tragic tale of ‘The Crucible,’ before large audiences this past weekend.

Many George Mason students are already familiar with the play through having read it in their freshman English class or from seeing the movie, but the players this weekend managed to bring the story to life in a distinctively fresh manner with a combination of skillful acting, blocking, and an appropriately simple yet functional set.

Despite theater department head and play director Frank Marino’s initial concerns, the student actors in this cast performed their roles with a style and dignity well-matched to the serious and often dark subject matter of ‘The Crucible,’ which was Mason’s first "true drama," as Marino stated in an exclusive interview with Lasso Online in September.

Junior Peter Windle turned in an outstanding performance as John Proctor in his first time on the Mason stage, greatly supported by junior Anya Solavieva in the role of his wife, Elizabeth Proctor. The deadly love triangle was completed with junior Toby Nelson’s skillful depiction of the vindictive and manipulative Abigail Williams, the teenage girl who seeks revenge on the society that she feels has wronged her.

Junior Greg Corbino distinguished himself early on in the performance with his convincing portrayal of the intense, nervously stammering Reverend Samuel Parris. The rash nature of his character was tempered with that of junior Matt Meyer’s brilliant depiction of Reverend John Hale, the fervently logical young minister who arrives in Salem to help rid the town of witchcraft, only to side with the accused. In all, each of the main actors portrayed his or her character with impressive insight, and their acting heightened the already-palpable underlying tension of the drama.

The remarkably genuine performances of the lead characters are what make the play most compelling, but these heights simply could not have been achieved without the contributions of the play’s minor characters. Especially notable were sophomore Sam Adylette as Giles Corey, who provided much comic relief for the audience, and senior Charmaine Nerone, making her debut on the Mason stage in the role of Rebecca Nurse. Seniors Alisa Sukachevin (Tituba) and Stefanie Johnston (Mary Warren) also turned in emotional, and at times, wrenching, performances, while seniors Kate O’Hara and Chris Sabbatini adeptly portrayed the scheming Ann and Thomas Putnam. Sophomore Todd Johnston also gave a strong performance as the immovable Deputy-Governor Danforth.

With an ensemble of both returning and new actors to the Mason stage, this strong dramatic performance of ‘The Crucible,’ for Mason’s fall play has left many anticipating the success of the upcoming competition play and spring musical.