“The Crucible”

[rating=5] Invictus Theatre of Chicago placed itself in an awkward position. After they produced an amazing and powerful “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” and “Ruined”, what next? They have chosen to tackle the powerful “The Crucible”, Arthur Miller’s take on the McCarthy Hearings and the hidden agendas. Miller’s exploration of the human psyche and behavior makes the play an enduring masterpiece, even though McCarthyism has faded into history. On one hand, Miller addresses a particularly dark period in American history — a time in which society believed the Devil walked the streets of Salem and could become manifest in anyone, even a close neighbor or, worse yet, a family member. On the other hand, Miller moves beyond a discussion of witchcraft and what really happened in Salem to explore human motivation and subsequent behavior.

This production was directed by Charles Askenaizer in the very intimate Reginald Vaughn Theater, I found myself glued to each and every character that this powerful cast put before us. Those who have been to this tiny storefront theater located just down the street from the Thorndale “Red Line” station, know how tiny the stage area is and how very close the audience is to the action. I sat in the first row and at times felt that I was truly in Salem for these events. The cast is sitting onstage when we enter the theater. Each side of the stage has what appears to be “jury boxes”, and all of the cast members sat stoned faced, just staring ahead. I suppose the idea was to get us in the mood for what we were about to witness.

The set(Kevin Rolfs) works as all the locations after we allow for the actors leaving the “play area” to return to their seats instead of going offstage. There is one door that allows for leaving the area, and the actors who do not appear until the second act leave after the opening as there is no reason for them to be onstage for Act One. The story is about more than witches, it is also  about power and politics as well as honesty. John Proctor ( deftly handled by Mark Pracht) is a farmer and as we find out during the almost three hours of wonderful theater, a man of true integrity, who will not under any circumstances do anything to harm his name. His wife is played to perfection by Devon Carson.

It all begins with one servant saying that she has witnessed witchcraft.The “witches” of Salem are all placed on trial and we watch many things take place on this tiny stage that will astound you (body movement/choreography by Amber Wuttke). The lighting (Chad Lussler) and sound (Petter Wahlback) help in creating the mood, in particular the ending. The costumes (Jessie Gowens) and props (Sam Paulson) complete the tech part of the production. It is however the ensemble that truly makes this piece work. note” it also helps to clarify the expression “witch hunt” that is used today.

Joseph Beal, Lea Grace Biwer, Zach Bloomfield, Brandon Boler, Mike Cherry, Laura Coleman, Charlie Diaz, Jay Donley, Ellie Duffy, LaTorious R. Givens, Barbara Roeder Harris, Frank Nall, Mark Pracht, Orion Silvertree, Erin Allison Stewart, Freya Trefonides, James Turano and Michaela Voit. Terrific job. They were all strong in their characters and I found Ms. Voit to be outstanding as Abigail Williams. Once again Turano shines as Deputy Danforth who truly holds the second act in his hands.

This is a solid production that I am pretty sure will win some Jeff Awards this year. As you watch this show you will see that despite its time, there are factors that are relevant today and I am glad that a theater company took on the challenge. In my opinion, they have truly succeeded in bringing this powerful saga to our city.

“The Crucible” will continue thru June 11th with performances as follows:

Mondays   7 p.m.

Thursdays  7 p.m.

Fridays      7 p.m.

Saturdays  7 p.m.

Sundays    3 p.m.

The theater is located at 1106 West Thorndale.

Tickets $35 (students and seniors $30) and are available by visiting www.invictustheatreco.com

A few notes about the actual theater. It is required to wear a mask for all audience members. This is a very small  venue and the audience is very close to the actors.

There is only one usable bathroom in the theater, but the restaurant next door is available.. Rewired Pizza Cafe and Bar is a great place to go before the show as well.  Since parking can be tough, I went early, found a great FREE parking space and enjoyed a drink and something light ( they have deviled eggs that are just the way my mother made them). During intermission you can use their facilities and grab a drink to take back in the theater.

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “The Crucible”