“This is a great production, this is one you need to get to... The Crucible is a must see show!”
Friday, March 21 - Saturday, April 12
a play by Arthur Miller
Performing at Living Spirit United Methodist Church
Minneapolis, MN
Before QAnon, before the Satanic Panic, and before the Red Scare, there were the Salem Witch Trials: weaponized othering for simple revenge, or personal gain. The Crucible reminds us that ‘We are what we always were’ and the urgent need for us as a community to push back against bigotry. Before we, like Salem, get consumed by it.
In this world of The Crucible, the audience finds itself in The Society: an isolated, controlled, cult-like community. Here we see how quickly and devastatingly the consequences of repression, brutal control, and insidious politics can consume all in its path.
This is a true ensemble; EVERY SINGLE character is urgently needed to tell this story of a community self-destructing. There are so many layers to every character and every relationship on stage. We are not shying away from the truth that these are real people in real relationships that can be messy, funny, furious, and human.
Nothing is simple, nothing can be taken for granted, nothing is safe. This is the story of a community screaming, yelling, accusing, and blindly running towards self-implosion.
It reminds us that we as humans keep making the same mistakes, and we keep finding ourselves in a crucible of our own making.
*Night Fire Theatre’s production of The Crucible involves the use of a non-firing, replica firearm.
WELCOME TO THE SOCIETY
SALEM’S HISTORY
In the later part of the 1930s, great changes were happening throughout America and the world. The ‘roaring 20s’ gave rise to the great depression, the dust bowl devastated the Midwest, and the threat of another World War grew into a reality. It was in the midst of this, that the idea of ‘Salem’ was created.
A small group of pilgrims with varying degrees of devotion to Christian doctrine, set off to create an isolated community of their own, away from the many changes to both American society and the rest of the world. These people came from different walks of life: farmers, doctors, businesspeople, but were united in their goal to ‘return to a more traditional time.’ The group succeeded in acquiring a small coastal island, and there built their community: ‘Salem’.
It didn’t take long for the people of Salem to see that their desire for isolation was justified: not only was the world in the midst of total war, but scientists had developed a weapon capable of destroying the world itself: the atom bomb. Fear drove more people to Salem itself, to the ‘Salem way of life.’ Other communities began to spring up in the region around Salem: ‘Andover,’ ‘Beverly,’ and others. With more communities came a greater need for organization, which ultimately led to the creation of ‘The Society.’
Ruled by the ‘Central Church,’ The Society began to manage the various communities. Whether it was sending various Ministers to ensure the communities maintained compliance, moving women about to maintain a healthy gene pool, or taking advantage of an available workforce that provided saleable goods to finance The Society, The Central Church was influencing entire communities, without their even knowing it.
As the years passed, The Society began to become ‘mainstream,’ establishing a presence in major cities within the US, and the world. It was however, still seen as a ‘fringe’ religion, often confused with other ‘return to traditional time’ religions. Yet throughout all this, Salem continued to stay true to its original mission of living off the land and following ‘basic Christian principles.’
As isolated as Salem was, it was not immune to the changes that were taking place within the Central Church itself. As a response to the many societal changes taking place within the US: the civil rights Movement, gay rights, the rise of the ‘non-religious,’ The Central Church of The Society began to shift towards a fundamentalist view of Christianity, embracing supernaturalism and a fanatical, literal interpretation of the bible. For the people of Salem, this caused a rift between those who simply wanted to be farmers and continue to live off the land as their parents and grandparents had done, and those who wanted to be seen as the ‘good members’ of The Society, and reap the benefits of being in their good graces.
This is the world of Salem that we find ourselves in at the start of the play: a once tight-knit community in turmoil as they face a sudden rise in supernaturalism and Christian nationalism.
The rules of The Society, in no particular order:
No modern technologies.
No news from The Outside.
Women are not taught to read or write.
Women are of marriageable age at 18. If not married by choice by 20, they are given to a man decided by The Council. If no man wants them, they are sent to a different sect of the church.
Unmarried women and girls may only speak when spoken to.
A women and man my not be alone together unless they are married.
Girls of 11 or 12 are sent to work for another family where they can be trained to be a wife.
Music can only be religious, no musical instruments are allowed.
Unmarried girls may not gather without a chaperone.
Corporal punishment is expected.
Professions are inherited.
Birth is the province of women only.
No leaving, unless you are called to the church.
Till death us do part.
Years are counted from the founding of the cult.
Girls who do not obey all rules have their hair cut.
There are no maps, we do not know where we are.
Dress Code
Unmarried girls wear neutral, shapeless dresses with grey aprons. Their hair may be worn down under their head coverings.
Married women must wear corsets, hair must be completely covered. Dresses may be dyed with their colour of choice.
Men must maintain a modest dress code, legs and arms must be covered. Hats must be worn in church.
Reverends dress in long, dress-like robes.
Judges and court officials wear long, dress-like robes accompanied by official robes when in court.