The Crucible by Arthur Miller
New Britain, CT – The New Britain Youth Theater Teen Company will perform Arthur Miller’s The Crucible on April 20, 21 and 22 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church auditorium in New Britain.
Winner of the 1953 Tony Award for Best Play, The Crucible depicts the historic witch trials of Salem, Massachusetts. When teenage girls are discovered trying to conjure up dead spirits in the woods, the town of Salem explodes with charges of witchcraft. A young farmer and his wife, maliciously accused by a servant girl, find themselves in the center of the panic and put on trial. The trials that occur expose a community paralyzed by terror, religious extremism and greed. Originally reflecting the anti-Communist scare of the early 1950s in America, Miller’s play is still applicable to any paranoid prejudices.
The NBYT Teen Company production, as directed by Becky Beth Benedict, focuses on the text to explore the themes of undying and forbidden love, desperate power, cunning manipulation, questioning belief, and lost innocence. Period costumes and set pieces are kept at a minimum.
The Crucible will be performed at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church auditorium, located at 147 West Main Street in downtown New Britain. Performances are Friday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, April 22, at 2 p.m. Ticket prices are $12 for adults and $10 for students, and seniors. Special group rates are available for parties of ten or more. Tickets may be reserved by calling New Britain Youth Theater at 860-515-8115 or may be purchased online through a link at www.nbyt.org.
The NBYT Teen Company is a program of New Britain Youth Theater in which teens can become involved in choosing, producing and promoting their own theater. The program offers leadership opportunities and a chance for teens to do the shows they want to do, all while under the guidance of NBYT directors. For more information about New Britain Youth Theater and the NBYT Teen Company, visit the company’s website at www.nbyt.org.
