NathanHammonds

The Crucible in modern society by: Nathan Hammonds Arthur Miller took the historical events of the Salem witch trials and dramatized them in The Crucible. He exposed just how easily and how quickly paranoia can spread throughout a society, and to what lengths people will go to protect the values. Miller pitted extreme types of people against one another to show just how infectious and ridiculous paranoia can become when it is permitted to grow. Many scholars and critics are returning to “The Crucible” in order to engage in debates about modern society, particularly in the wake of the attacks of September 11th.

Websites about Witchcraft: 1. [] 2. [] 3. [] 4. []

Witch Hunts in Africa Some tribes and groups in Africa believe that there are witches causing diseases to spread throughout Africa. This is very similar to the Crucible because these people are blaming witchcraft for the bad thingsthat happen in their country just like the Puritans did in The Crucible

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The Crucible interpreted in modern times A dramatization of the infamous Salem witch trials, Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” follows a scorned young woman who (falsely) kicks up a fuss about witches to spite a former lover. For Moxie, a theater company that predominately focuses on promoting strong female characters and modern fare — Miller’s play was the perfect opportunity to explore older material. Conversely, Intrepid Shakespeare Company, a group that usually performs works by its namesake, considers “The Crucible” to be quite modern. As for the directors heading the collaboration, Jennifer Even Thorn has been working with Moxie for five years (as one of the company co-founders), and Christy Yael has been with Intrepid since the company’s inception about a year ago. The companies decided to collaborate when they discovered that the other was considering putting on “The Crucible.” “Arthur Miller is a wonderful playwright, and it’s a fantastically written play,” Yael said. “It’s also a timeless play. You can take a history play, produce it today and have it accurately portray modern society.”Their teamwork began in July, when Thorn and Yael began casting. After 75 auditions, Thorn and Yael chose 19 cast members and have been conducting rehearsals six nights a week at rehearsal space donated by local company Space 44 — alternating nights. The major benefit for both has been the chance to experience different actors and stage management. “It’s been a meeting of the ensembles, so to speak,” Thorn said, “and I think that will really enrich both of our companies as we move forward.” Still, Moxie and Intrepid vary on some key points. Moxie co-produces shows quite frequently, while Intrepid does not. Intrepid usually works with large ensembles, while Moxie does not. The companies aren’t even based in the same city — Intrepid is in Encinitas and Moxie works out of San Diego. Surprisingly, the directors’ creative differences have been nonexistent. “The way we’ve kind of divided up the responsibilities — we haven’t had any yet,” Yael said. Thorn agrees. “Things would have been cut from our budget,” she said. “I would have had to give up some of the artistic things, a less exciting set design perhaps. The production may not have happened without the co-producing.” According to Yael, Miller’s play meets both Moxie’s and Intrepid’s theatrical needs, so neither company is concerned about the play’s appeal to its respective audience. “What I love about this collaboration is that it’s a marriage of both,” she said. “We approach Arthur Miller’s writing the same way we approach Shakespeare’s text: The answers are in the text. At the same time, it fulfills Moxie’s audience: It’s about bold, courageous women in a period of time where that was uncommon.” “The Crucible” is premiering right in time for Halloween, a move that was intentional, Thorn says. “It really is one of the most frightening plays ever written.” Thorn said. “Really, the thing that’s truly frightening about the play is how mass hysteria and finger pointing can take hold of society.”We think it’s the witches. From: []



Works Cited

Witchcraft - World of Witches, Wicca and Spells. Web. 29 Oct. 2010. <[].>

"Modern Witchcraft." Christian Research Institute and the Bible Answer Man, Hank Hanegraaff. Web. 29 Oct. 2010. <[].>

"HowStuffWorks "Modern Witchcraft"" //Howstuffworks "People"// Web. 29 Oct. 2010. <[].>

 "Magic and Witchcraft in Modern Society - by John Hewitt - Helium." //Helium - Where Knowledge Rules//. Web. 29 Oct. 2010. <[].>

 "“The Crucible:” Brewing Something up - SignOnSanDiego.com." //San Diego News, Local, California and National News - SignOnSanDiego.com//. Web. 29 Oct. 2010. <[].>