The lights faded as an eerie moan of wind passed over a simple but dramatic set, creating an unnerving atmosphere for a drama about one of the most unexplainable events in history, the Salem witch trials.

Campbell County High School's recent production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible certainly succeeded in bringing the fear of the unknown to the stage. Crucible, written in 1953, brings the events of the 1692 trials to life. The play takes an in-depth look at both the accusers and the accused in these trials of truths, lies and suspicions. The tension among the ensemble and the other characters was completely believable.

There are many scenes in which characters are called to have close physical interaction, and the actors in this show executed it beautifully.

As Abigail Williams, Samantha Wright delivered her character with intensity in her face, voice and body. As Mary Warren, Allie Cain had such a connection with her character that the entire courtroom scene fed from her energy. She was courageous in her role of dealing with truth and having the courage to speak it.

The body language of the performers was delivered well, especially by Jacob Cooper as John Procter, who came across as a stoic character. The ensemble including Ashley Chandler, Kaitlin Hamilton, Stephanie Stavropoulos and Taylor Singleton worked wonderfully in the courtroom scene. The actors, as well as the subtle but effective lighting at this moment in the show, were captivating.

The Crucible brought a true fear of the unknown to the stage while addressing the issue of truth.

Clare Hingsbergen, McAuley High School

EXCERPTS:

As Procter, Jacob Cooper was completely in charge of the stage every time he was on it. . This solid persona especially contrasted with Samantha Wright's Abigail. Never breaking character, Wright put on a convincing performance of a mentally disturbed young woman.

Carolyn Toth, Mount Notre Dame High School

Love seemed evident between Cooper and Danielle Egan, portraying Procter's wife Elizabeth. The love that appeared between the couple made their final separation at Procter's death extremely heartrending.

Laura McOsker, Loveland High School

During the climax and conclusion of the show, the judges of the trial, led by Deputy-Gov. Danforth (Dustin Caudill), worked easily and strongly as a whole. The group of Salem girls, who were making the charges of witchcraft, reacted excellently with one another, and gave a disturbingly realistic portrayal of the accusers.

Jessica Alexander, Mother of Mercy High School

As one of the quietest characters, Mary Warren (Allie Cain) showed one of the broadest ranges of emotion. Cain was adept in conveying emotions with subtle intonation, not feeling the need to raise her voice.

Betsy Repaske, Loveland High School

The lighting, although sometimes casting shadows on the actor's faces, was well-executed and helped create the mood and tone of the scene. The timing was flawless when Abigail screamed and the backlight changed to red. The gold light that shined on Elizabeth Procter (Danielle Egan) at the end of the show helped create a sense of hope as she watched her husband hanged.

Mark Scherer McAuley High School Critic Team

The costumes were very true to the time period in which The Crucible is set. They also cleverly used symbolism to represent certain characters on stage. The character of Abigail was dressed in red to symbolize her forceful, devil-like character. At first, the character of Procter wore a bulky, broad-shouldered vest as to appear strong. Later, in his jail clothes, he seemed more gaunt and withered. In the beginning of each scene and during the scene changes, an eerie, whistling wind, chimes and the sound of rustling leaves added to the ambiance of the play. Along with music, another spine-chilling effect was the fog in the background as the women walked along the back of the stage, chained.

Erin Harper, Mount Notre Dame High School