AUDITIONS FOR THE CRUCIBLE - NOVEMBER 17 & 18, 2024
AUDITIONS
Sunday, November 17, 6:30 p.m.
Monday, November 18, 7:15 p.m.
Possible callbacks Wednesday, November 20, 7:15 p.m.
If you cannot make these dates, email [email protected]
-These will be open auditions. No appointment is necessary. First come, first seen.
-We will ask actors to read from the scenes posted at the bottom of this page, in the order we receive the forms as far as possible. We will make every attempt to have you read the role you specified on your audition form. However, you may want to become familiar with all roles we might ask you to read.
-The audition form is available for printing below, or you may fill one out at the audition. Please submit it with a headshot, if you have one, as well as any supplementary information.
-The Playhouse is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. All roles are available and we encourage actors of all backgrounds and identities to audition.
--Performances are Feb. 21-23, 28 and March 1,2,7,8. You must be available for all performances and for tech rehearsals Sun., Feb. 16 through Thursday, Feb. 20. We will not rehearse holidays or the eve of holidays.
--Once we know actors’ outdates, we’ll create a firm calendar using available evenings and weekend days. We’ll rehearse lightly in November and December, with more frequent rehearsals beginning in January, all at the Playhouse.
Sunday, November 17, 6:30 p.m.
Monday, November 18, 7:15 p.m.
Possible callbacks Wednesday, November 20, 7:15 p.m.
If you cannot make these dates, email [email protected]
-These will be open auditions. No appointment is necessary. First come, first seen.
-We will ask actors to read from the scenes posted at the bottom of this page, in the order we receive the forms as far as possible. We will make every attempt to have you read the role you specified on your audition form. However, you may want to become familiar with all roles we might ask you to read.
-The audition form is available for printing below, or you may fill one out at the audition. Please submit it with a headshot, if you have one, as well as any supplementary information.
-The Playhouse is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. All roles are available and we encourage actors of all backgrounds and identities to audition.
--Performances are Feb. 21-23, 28 and March 1,2,7,8. You must be available for all performances and for tech rehearsals Sun., Feb. 16 through Thursday, Feb. 20. We will not rehearse holidays or the eve of holidays.
--Once we know actors’ outdates, we’ll create a firm calendar using available evenings and weekend days. We’ll rehearse lightly in November and December, with more frequent rehearsals beginning in January, all at the Playhouse.
| THE CRUCIBLE AUDITION FORM.pdf |
THE PLAY
As a result of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692-93, 19 men and women were hanged, one tortured to death, and 4 left to die in jail, for being witches. The Crucible is Arthur Miller’s now classic dramatization of that reign of terror when simply being accused could be a death sentence. In a courtroom swept by hysteria, young women, desperate to avoid punishment for being discovered dancing in the moonlight, convulse and cry out their elders’ names as agents of the devil. John Proctor stands trapped at the center of the madness, trying to save his accused wife and their marriage, in a crucible of impossible choices, caught between saving his life by agreeing to a lie or choosing death if he defies his accusers.
As a result of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692-93, 19 men and women were hanged, one tortured to death, and 4 left to die in jail, for being witches. The Crucible is Arthur Miller’s now classic dramatization of that reign of terror when simply being accused could be a death sentence. In a courtroom swept by hysteria, young women, desperate to avoid punishment for being discovered dancing in the moonlight, convulse and cry out their elders’ names as agents of the devil. John Proctor stands trapped at the center of the madness, trying to save his accused wife and their marriage, in a crucible of impossible choices, caught between saving his life by agreeing to a lie or choosing death if he defies his accusers.
THE CHARACTERS
(All age ranges indicate what age you should appear on stage)
Reverend Samuel Parris – 35-45, Male – Minister of Salem’s church, disliked by many residents because of his petty greed and self-importance. He feels constantly persecuted and is terrified he will lose his position.
Betty Parris – 12-25, Female – Reverend Parris’s daughter. Betty falls into a strange stupor after Parris catches her and the girls dancing in the forest with Tituba.
Tituba – 20-50, Female, preferably black – Reverend Parris’s slave from Barbados. Tituba agrees to perform voodoo and gets the girls to dance. She is turned in as a witch by Abigail and, in turn, accuses four other Salem women.
Abigail Williams – 18-22, Female –Abigail was once the servant for the Proctor household, but Elizabeth Proctor fired her after discovering that Abigail had an affair with her husband, John. Smart, wily, a good liar, and vindictive when crossed, she uses her charismatic influence over the girls to gain power to try to get rid of Elizabeth and have Proctor for herself.
Susanna Walcott – 14-20, Female – Susanna is a nervous and hasty girl, Abigail’s younger friend. She participates in the ritual in the woods with Tituba.
Ann Putnam – 45-65, Female – Thomas Putnam’s wife, has given birth to eight children, but only Ruth Putnam survived. The other seven died before they were a day old, and Ann is convinced that they were murdered by supernatural means.
Thomas Putnam – 45-65, Male – A wealthy, influential citizen of Salem, Putnam holds a grudge against Francis Nurse for preventing Putnam’s brother-in-law from being elected to the office of minister. He uses the witch trials to increase his own wealth by accusing people of witchcraft and then buying up their land.
Mercy Lewis – 14-20, Female – Servant to the Putnams, Mercy is a “sly, merciless girl” She proves to be Abigail’s closest friend, sticking by her to the end.
Mary Warren – 18-21, Female – A timid servant in the Proctor household and a member of Abigail’s group of girls. Easily influenced by those around her, she tries unsuccessfully to expose the hoax, but when Abigail and the other girls accuse her of witchcraft, Mary recants her confession and turns on John Proctor.
John Proctor – 30-45, Male – A local farmer, very respected in Salem, Elizabeth Proctor’s husband. A down-to-earth man, John hates hypocrisy. His hidden sin—his affair with Abigail Williams—proves his downfall. When the hysteria begins, he hesitates to expose Abigail as a fraud because he worries that his secret will be revealed and his good name ruined.
Rebecca Nurse – 55-80, Female – Francis Nurse’s wife. Rebecca is a wise, sensible, and upright woman, pillar of the community, held in highest regard by most of the Salem community. Jealous of Nurse’s many children, the Putnams accuse her of witchcraft and when she refuses to confess, she falls victim to the hysteria.
Giles Corey – 60-80, Male – Elderly, cranky farmer, famous for his tendency to file lawsuits and a friend of John Proctor. After Giles’s wife, Martha, is accused of witchcraft, he is held in contempt ofcourt and pressed to death with large stones because he refuses to plead guilty or not guilty. He refuses to accuse anyone else.
Reverend John Hale – 30-50, Male –Well-educated, intelligent, and an expert on witchcraft, Parris calls him to Salem to examine Betty. His arrival sets the hysteria in motion. He starts in certainty but comes to see the terrible injustice he has set loose in Salem.
Elizabeth Proctor – 30-40, Female – John Proctor’s wife. Elizabeth fired Abigail with whom her husband was having an affair. Elizabeth is supremely virtuous, but often cold, especially to John whom she can’t forgive.
Francis Nurse – 55-80, Male – A wealthy, influential man in Salem. Nurse is well respected by most people in Salem but is an enemy of Thomas Putnam and his wife.
Ezekiel Cheever – 30-60, Male – An “honest tailor” but morally weak man who acts as the witch trials’ court clerk. He quickly turns on former friends and those accused of witchcraft, handling their arrests.
John Willard – 25-60, Male – The Marshal of Salem responsible for bringing defendants before the court. Sympathetic to the accused, he comes to doubt and hate his role in the court.
Judge Hathorne – 45-75, Male – A local judge who presides, behind Danforth, over the witch trials. Cold and antagonistic, he never doubts the accusations of the girls, the evil of witchcraft, or the justice of the court.
Judge Danforth – 55-75, Male – Deputy Governor of Massachusetts and the highest legal authority at the trials. Quick and firm of mind, Danforth is convinced that witchcraft is a dire threat to order in the entire Province. The conflict between Danforth and Proctor is the essential action of The Crucible.
Sarah Good – 35-65, Female - one of the first to be accused of witchcraft, she is homeless and on the margins of society. She is most talked about and appears only briefly in the last scene, prior to be hanged, appears to have lost her mind.
Hopkins – 25-55, Male – one name, one line
Townspeople of a range of ages, additional young women, et.al.
The script is readily available through Google. The page numbers on the audition scenes refer to the pages of the DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE acting edition.
(All age ranges indicate what age you should appear on stage)
Reverend Samuel Parris – 35-45, Male – Minister of Salem’s church, disliked by many residents because of his petty greed and self-importance. He feels constantly persecuted and is terrified he will lose his position.
Betty Parris – 12-25, Female – Reverend Parris’s daughter. Betty falls into a strange stupor after Parris catches her and the girls dancing in the forest with Tituba.
Tituba – 20-50, Female, preferably black – Reverend Parris’s slave from Barbados. Tituba agrees to perform voodoo and gets the girls to dance. She is turned in as a witch by Abigail and, in turn, accuses four other Salem women.
Abigail Williams – 18-22, Female –Abigail was once the servant for the Proctor household, but Elizabeth Proctor fired her after discovering that Abigail had an affair with her husband, John. Smart, wily, a good liar, and vindictive when crossed, she uses her charismatic influence over the girls to gain power to try to get rid of Elizabeth and have Proctor for herself.
Susanna Walcott – 14-20, Female – Susanna is a nervous and hasty girl, Abigail’s younger friend. She participates in the ritual in the woods with Tituba.
Ann Putnam – 45-65, Female – Thomas Putnam’s wife, has given birth to eight children, but only Ruth Putnam survived. The other seven died before they were a day old, and Ann is convinced that they were murdered by supernatural means.
Thomas Putnam – 45-65, Male – A wealthy, influential citizen of Salem, Putnam holds a grudge against Francis Nurse for preventing Putnam’s brother-in-law from being elected to the office of minister. He uses the witch trials to increase his own wealth by accusing people of witchcraft and then buying up their land.
Mercy Lewis – 14-20, Female – Servant to the Putnams, Mercy is a “sly, merciless girl” She proves to be Abigail’s closest friend, sticking by her to the end.
Mary Warren – 18-21, Female – A timid servant in the Proctor household and a member of Abigail’s group of girls. Easily influenced by those around her, she tries unsuccessfully to expose the hoax, but when Abigail and the other girls accuse her of witchcraft, Mary recants her confession and turns on John Proctor.
John Proctor – 30-45, Male – A local farmer, very respected in Salem, Elizabeth Proctor’s husband. A down-to-earth man, John hates hypocrisy. His hidden sin—his affair with Abigail Williams—proves his downfall. When the hysteria begins, he hesitates to expose Abigail as a fraud because he worries that his secret will be revealed and his good name ruined.
Rebecca Nurse – 55-80, Female – Francis Nurse’s wife. Rebecca is a wise, sensible, and upright woman, pillar of the community, held in highest regard by most of the Salem community. Jealous of Nurse’s many children, the Putnams accuse her of witchcraft and when she refuses to confess, she falls victim to the hysteria.
Giles Corey – 60-80, Male – Elderly, cranky farmer, famous for his tendency to file lawsuits and a friend of John Proctor. After Giles’s wife, Martha, is accused of witchcraft, he is held in contempt ofcourt and pressed to death with large stones because he refuses to plead guilty or not guilty. He refuses to accuse anyone else.
Reverend John Hale – 30-50, Male –Well-educated, intelligent, and an expert on witchcraft, Parris calls him to Salem to examine Betty. His arrival sets the hysteria in motion. He starts in certainty but comes to see the terrible injustice he has set loose in Salem.
Elizabeth Proctor – 30-40, Female – John Proctor’s wife. Elizabeth fired Abigail with whom her husband was having an affair. Elizabeth is supremely virtuous, but often cold, especially to John whom she can’t forgive.
Francis Nurse – 55-80, Male – A wealthy, influential man in Salem. Nurse is well respected by most people in Salem but is an enemy of Thomas Putnam and his wife.
Ezekiel Cheever – 30-60, Male – An “honest tailor” but morally weak man who acts as the witch trials’ court clerk. He quickly turns on former friends and those accused of witchcraft, handling their arrests.
John Willard – 25-60, Male – The Marshal of Salem responsible for bringing defendants before the court. Sympathetic to the accused, he comes to doubt and hate his role in the court.
Judge Hathorne – 45-75, Male – A local judge who presides, behind Danforth, over the witch trials. Cold and antagonistic, he never doubts the accusations of the girls, the evil of witchcraft, or the justice of the court.
Judge Danforth – 55-75, Male – Deputy Governor of Massachusetts and the highest legal authority at the trials. Quick and firm of mind, Danforth is convinced that witchcraft is a dire threat to order in the entire Province. The conflict between Danforth and Proctor is the essential action of The Crucible.
Sarah Good – 35-65, Female - one of the first to be accused of witchcraft, she is homeless and on the margins of society. She is most talked about and appears only briefly in the last scene, prior to be hanged, appears to have lost her mind.
Hopkins – 25-55, Male – one name, one line
Townspeople of a range of ages, additional young women, et.al.
The script is readily available through Google. The page numbers on the audition scenes refer to the pages of the DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE acting edition.
| SCENE 1. PROCTOR AND ABIGAIL.pdf |
| SCENE 2. PROCTOR AND ELIZABETH.pdf |
| SCENE 3. PARIS AND ABIGAIL.pdf |
| SCENE 4. PROCTOR AND DANFORTH.pdf |
| SCENE 5. PROCTOR, ELIZABETH, MARY WARREN.pdf |
| SCENE 6. ABIGAIL, MARY, MERCY, BETTY.pdf |
| SCENE 7. COREY, PROCTOR, FRANCIS NURSE, ELIZABETH, HALE.pdf |
| SCENE 8. DANFORTH, MARY, PROCTOR, PARRIS, HALE.pdf |
| SCENE 9. PARRIS, HALE, REBECCA NURSE, ANN PUTNAM.pdf |
| SCENE 10. TITUBA, PARRIS, HALE.pdf |
| SCENE 11. DANFORTH, HALE, PARRIS.pdf |
