JC Drama Department To Present Crucible

Fullerton College Hornet  - Staff Writer - Friday, September 28th, 1962

For its first dramatic offering of the year the Drama Department has selected Arthur Miler's award winning play "The Crucible," to be presented on Friday and Saturday evenings, Nov. 9 and 10, in Fullerton High's auditorium.

"The Crucible is basically about the Salem witch trials, and man's own stupidity as well. Proctor's death becomes a symbol of the waste of human lives which, somehow, mankind has always been able to permit under the guise of law and order, be it theological, political, or otherwise.

It is a tragedy of Salem and a tragedy of all the Salems that have existed. Miller admits that he meant the play to reflect directly upon the time in which he wrote it, as a warning of the consequences of modern government "witchhunts".

Appearing in the production will be Dennis Bergman as Proctor, and Judith Stoner as Elizabeth, which are the title roles. Mr Archambeault announced that the large cast will also include Dick Bell, George Sperakos, Judy Bernett, Jill Heins, Grace Johnson, Robert A. Hubard, Karen Haley, Robert Hart, Robert Hoffman, Dennis Curry, Charles Fisher, Robert Hardwick, Colen McGroth, J.W. Mings, Joanne Thompson, Joan Wheatlyx, Connie Swanson and Jery Sygh.

Arthur Miller is an american author born in 1916 in the Harlem section of New York City, and educated at the University of Michigan. While he was in college, his comedy "The Grass Still Grows" won the Avery Hopwood Award for playwriting, and it received the Theater Guild National Award in 1938. The Drama Critics' Circle chose Miler's "All My Sons" as the best new play in 1947.

In 1949, Miller's "Death of a Salesman" won the Pulitzer Prize for drama and the Critics' Award as the best play of the year. His play "The Crucible" won the Antoinette Perry Award in 1953.

Students who are not in the cast of "The Crucible" will be working with Mr. Archambeault and Mr. Stoughton on many crews that are essential in making the play a success.