Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, District 7 Fine Arts Center on the Spartanburg High Campus, Tickets: $5 adults/$1 students (cash at the door), Showtimes Friday 10/7 at 7pm, Saturday 10/7 at 1pm and 7pm.
In District 7, musicals have been a part of the life of the typical academic year for a long time. Non-musical plays, on the other hand, have not had a consistent history. Over the years, plays have been mounted and courses have arisen to support and enhance them, but a steady and lasting tradition of live educational theatre has not been established. This year, with the help of new D7 theatre teacher Dr. Ben Dawkins, the Viking Theatre Company is being established with the goal of creating a continuous educational theatre experience.
“I find ‘straight,’ or non-musical, plays have the potential to bring curriculum to life through performance,” said Dr. Dawkins. “The students involved receive a ‘deep-dive’ into the discipline, which reinforces skills they are taught in core classes each day. Moreover, the students who attend plays receive wide-ranging benefits as well. They get to see their curriculum come to life on the stage. Students who may normally find ELA or history boring get a full, active experience to reenergize their interest!”
The Viking Theatre Company will debut its first production, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, on Friday and Saturday, October 7-8. The play is set during the Salem Witch Trials of the late 1600s. After being caught dancing in the woods, local girls suspected of witchcraft begin to name others in their community. The resulting hysteria turns their Massachusetts community upside down and forces each member to face their own morality and the consequences of superstition and judgment.
“I chose The Crucible as our first play not only to bring a historical event to life but also to supplement a story all of our high school juniors experience,” Dr. Dawkins said.
The Crucible is only the beginning for the Viking Theatre Company. Each Fall, a selection derived from the ELA curriculum will begin the theatre season.
The Crucible
Presented by the Viking Theatre Company
D7 Fine Arts Center
Friday, October 7 at 7pm
Saturday, October 8 at 1pm & 7pm
Seating is general admission, and all tickets are sold at the door: $5 adults, $1 students
This production is recommended for mature audiences of middle or high school age and above.
