By Kayla Martinez
Entertainment Editor
I must commemorate Rocklin’s William Jessup University on an outstanding performance of The Crucible this November.
The school offered two weekends of performances, and was very financially accessible.
The performance space was well-organized and put together.
The stage was set up very intriguingly, with gloomy branches hanging over the set and chairs set up along the stage, much like an old courtroom. Hosts and ushers greeted guests with smiles and offered them a chance to see a student art show just to the right of the house. The students had taken time to set up a Salem look near the refreshment tables, complete with antique furniture sets.
The hosts themselves were well-dressed, in uniform, and friendly. The were trained well, and answered any question guests had confidently. The entire aura of the place was professional and well-executed.
The show was performed on a thrust stage, taking care to engage the audience on all three sides. Although the blocking of the show seemed a bit limited and backs were frequently turned to the audience, the individual actors had pristine diction across the board. The costumes were beautiful and complete, with a bit of originality for each character.
Similarly, the technical effects of the production ran smoothly and were quite impressive. In the first scene, the accused witches came out and thrilled the audience with a dance all circled and huddled together around one bright light coming up from below them, clouded in a well-placed smoke effect. Throughout the first act, soft music and sounds from outside the scene accompanied the intensity of the scene present.
However, the second act held the most impressive effect throughout the show, although all the technical effects together helped the show to gradually build to its climax, the hanging of John Proctor (Cameron Wells).
A gallows was carried up to the stage with a hanging noose. The cast lined up on the edge of the stage, John Proctor slipped his head into the noose and, with the pulling of the lever on the rope, a trapdoor opened and smoke concealed the actor’s escape, along with the well-rehearsed reactions of the other characters.
Cameron Wells portrayed a direct, driven John Proctor. Wells is looking to do full-time ministry and was able to do the show without attending William Jessup. Elizabeth Proctor (Rebekah Ayala), Rebecca Nurse (Kayla Krugh) and Giles Corey (T.J. Fassler) were played by notably strong actors. The cast was very diverse in age, ranging from high school freshman Emma Barlow to elementary school teacher T.J. Fassler.
The cast worked well-together and flew through their dialogue, setting up a story that was interesting and engaging to follow. My congratulations to director Derek Martin on a fantastic rendition of The Crucible.
