John Proctor is the Villain was performed in the Burg Theater at Oklahoma City University on September 26-29, 2024. Set in 2018, this play follows the story of a high school English class as they dissect The Crucible. Topics such as naive infatuation, feminism, sexual assault, and misused power dynamics illuminate the Metoo movement of 2017.
Kara Smith, a sophomore acting major and swing for the play, comments on the play’s unique composition to The Campus.
“The linguistic structure of the script is meant to be casual and conversational and is very reflected in how high schoolers speak to and about each other. But it is a show about sexual assault and how different people experience and react to it and how it affects people and their relationships.”
Smith continues, “ I love that about the play because it is very truthful and honest about people’s nature and how these accusations and experiences can cause life change.”
While the audience realizes many things, the actors and actresses themselves are impacted during the progression of rehearsals and performances. These dedicated performers make personalized choices based on their own experiences with these topics or similar topics.
By connecting with their character, Jaeleigh B Burris, a senior acting major, believes it is the most critical story she has told onstage.
“We all remember what it was like to be a naive 16-year-old, seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. Nell and all of the kids in the class had a particular and important narrative that an audience member could relate to, or they knew someone from their youth just like that.”
This play portrays that while not all topics are easily discussed, especially in day-to-day life, they must be challenged and expanded upon. Change never occurs in a stagnant conversation.
Burris continues, “My professor, Lance Marsh, always teaches us that every character has a secret that nobody else knows; Nell’s secret was in the same vein as Shelby/Rae/Beth’s, and that’s why throughout the show I made it a priority to show the softness she had for the girls because she knew exactly what they were going through.”
Messy conversation, unique interpretation, unbaked ideas, and vulnerable emotions come together beautifully in the play John Proctor is the Villain. Let this play and future OCU live theatre productions challenge the conversations on campus and in communities.
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