Theatre Department Debuts Fall Play
BY: JACOB POLITTE
Staff Writer
The Meramec Theatre Department’s production of “The Crucible” hosted five performances Oct. 3-7. The Crucible is the first production of the 2018-2019 
school year. Written by American playwright Arthur Miller in the 1950’s as fear of communism was sweeping the nation, his inspiration for the play was a critique of McCarthyism.
Professor Michelle Rebollo has been a director and teacher at Meramec since 1996 and has directed more than 50 productions at Meramec during that time.
She said the cast size of the production is unusually large compared to many past productions, featuring 22 key people. She admits the production has been challenging.
“Getting 22 people scheduled to mesh together is very, very challenging,” said Rebollo. There had to be several re-castings, as some people dropped out of the production for varying reasons. Regardless, Rebollo said she is thrilled about the current cast.
“The people that we’ve got playing these characters are fantastic; in fact, this cast is predominantly 50 percent students,” said Rebollo. “And we have a good many actors who are older, who happen to be community actors who have auditioned for this production. So, it’s a nice mix of both.”
In particular, Rebollo said she is excited to showcase two young actresses, both of whom are ages 12 and 13. For one of them, this will be the first college 
production she has been a part of.
The play, set in the 1690’s, is a partially fictionalized account of the Salem Witch Trials.
The play’s protagonist, John Proctor, gets caught up in a web of deceit and betrayal, eventually finding himself falsely accused of witchcraft.
An official synopsis provided by the production reads: “Paranoia and betrayal spread like a virus through a small community. At the center of it all, a young couple can only hope to shield themselves from the terrifying mob- but tearing down this tangle of lies is no easy task. Arthur Miller’s classic drama is an exploration of injustice and groupthink that remains as relevant as ever.”
In turn, Rebollo stressed the play’s relevance. “Sometimes we [the committee that selects the productions] know that we want to direct something that is kind of pertinent to what is going on within our small community and in our large community as a nation, and for me, “The Crucible” was that play,” she said.
