Locals accused of witchcraft at the Winni Playhouse

The Winni Players, the community theatre branch of the Winnipesaukee Playhouse, present their first large-scale production, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, featuring the talents of 24 Lakes Region actors.

Written as a response to the McCarthy trials of the 1950s, The Crucible looks at the Salem witch trials of 1692. The town of Salem, Mass. is thrown into chaos when local girls begin to accuse their elders of witchcraft, a crime punishable by death.

Leading the fight for truth is farmer John Proctor, played by Jim Rogato of Laconia, who faces the prospect that both he and his wife Elizabeth (Jennifer Simon of Meredith) may be put to death after accusations from teenager Abigail Williams (Natalie Moser of Laconia).

The cast includes Steven Richmond as Rev. Parris whose daughter Betty (Maggie Dampier-Tensel) is caught up in Abigail’s plot along with other teenage girls played by Marena Harris, Shaylan Glejzer, Alicia Hammond, Kelley Hull and Leah Smart. Wil Robertson plays the reverend who attempts to find out the validity of the girls’ claims and David Bownes and John Piquado play the lawmakers who are asked to determine whether the accused witches will live or die.

The cast also includes Peter Brunette, Ginny Barunas, Peter Ayer, Eric Marsh, Matt Demko, Connor D’Heilly, James Joyce, Maggie Crawford, Hillary Kelley, Jilletta Davis and Dorothy Piquado. It is directed by Neil Pankhurst, the artistic director of the Winnipesaukee Playhouse.

Theatregoers who have already visited the Playhouse will be surprised by the new configuration of the stage which has been arranged as a ‘thrust theatre’ for this production, meaning that audience will be seated on three sides of the stage — bringing the action even closer to the audience.

Tickets cost $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and students and can be reserved by calling the box office at 366-7377. Performances are February 11, 12, 18 and 19 at 7 p.m. and February 13 and 20 at 2 p.m.

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