About the Show

Arthur Miller’s Tony award winning classic The Crucible, delves into the Salem witch trials of 1692. Set in Salem, Massachusetts, the plot centers on the hysteria that erupts when a group of girls, led by Abigail Williams, accuses fellow villagers of witchcraft. As the trials progress, the town is consumed by fear, paranoia, and a distorted sense of justice.

Miller’s narrative not only captures the historical context of the Salem witch trials but also serves as a powerful commentary on the dangers of mass hysteria and the consequences of blind conformity. The play remains relevant today as a cautionary tale about the fragility of justice and the ease with which fear can be manipulated for political or personal gain.

Content Advisory

The Crucible contains mature themes. 

Age Recommendation

Recommended for 13 and up.

Auditions

Audition Days

We are looking for a diverse, enthusiastic and dedicated cast of 20-22 actors, ages 15+, to fill the following roles in Dakota Stage’s production of The Crucible: 

*All characters in The Crucible are based on historical figures involved in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. 

Sign up to Audition Download Monologues (PDF)

BETTY PARRIS (age 10, to be played by an actor age 15-20):  Betty is Reverend Parris’ daughter and the catalyst for the events in the play. When the play opens, she has taken ill. At the end of act one, Betty joins Abigail and Tituba in rattling off a list of names of those women who they saw with the Devil. She is fearful, nervous, and easily intimidated by Abigail.

REVEREND SAMUEL PARRIS (age 30’S-40’S):  Reverend of the church in Salem, a widower.  Parris believes he is being persecuted everywhere he goes, and his power and status within the community are irrevocably undermined when his young daughter is seemingly possessed by the devil.  He is self-righteous, austere, controlling, and bears most of the responsibility of starting the witch panic.

TITUBA (age 50, could be played by an actor age 20’s -60): Based on the historical figure who was kidnapped as a young girl and sold into the slave trade in Barbados, later to become the real Reverend Parris’s slave. Tituba is wary and cautious, aware of the tenuousness of her situation and her lack of agency or power, and exhausted and worn down after years of abuse. She is spiritual; rooted in a cultural tradition that is perceived as completely foreign by the small, narrow-minded Salem community.  Historical documents show that Tituba could have originally been from Africa or South America before being taken to Barbados.

ABIGAIL WILLIAMS (age 17, to be played by an actor 18-30): Reverend Parris’s niece and the primary antagonist. She is impulsive, strong-willed, passionate, with a present sexuality and a fiery temper. Desperate for John’s affection, or perhaps desperate for an escape, Abigail recognizes opportunity and seizes it.  Growing up in an oppressive patriarchal society, Abigail is keenly aware of her own growing power, and becomes ruthless in her pursuit of getting what she wants.

SUSANNA WALCOTT (age 16, could be played by an actor age 16-30): One of the girls who joins Abigail in crying witchcraft.  She is nervous and worried.

MRS. ANN PUTNAM (age 45, could be played by actor age 30’s-50’s): Wife of Thomas Putnam. Ann is brittle, fretful, and anxious.  Haunted by the loss of her seven children, her grief has left her embittered and resentful of others’ good fortunes, though her family is well-to-do.  Her only surviving daughter, Ruth, has been “afflicted” similar to Betty Parris when the show begins.  Role may double with Sarah Good.

THOMAS PUTNAM (age 40’s-50’s): Wealthy landowner in Salem.  Savvy, politic, shrewd and threatening, Putnam always seems to have ulterior motives.  Even in the chaos of the trials, he is able to see opportunity for profit.

MERCY LEWIS (age 18, could be played by an actor age 17-30): Putnam’s serving girl and one of the girls who joins the group crying witchcraft.  Clever and sly, and not afraid to take risks. Mercy is a friend and confidant of Abigail’s, and she functions as Abigail’s lieutenant and second in command.

MARY WARREN (age 17, could be played by an actor age 17-30): A timid 17-year-old 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 girls’ witchcraft testimony as a hoax, but is thwarted by Abigail. The girls turn on Mary, and in order to save herself from their accusations of witchcraft, Mary ultimately recants her confession and turns on John Proctor.

JOHN PROCTOR  (age 30’s-40’s, could be played by an actor age 20’s-40’s): A local farmer who is independent, forthright and opinionated.  Proctor is deeply complicated and despises hypocrisy, most especially in himself.  He has little patience for the pretense and duplicity of the church, or for making a show of his devotion.  John is tormented by guilt over his recent affair with Abigail Williams, but maybe lacks the empathy of why his wife is having a hard time moving past it.  Proctor’s combination of skepticism and outspokenness makes him especially dangerous in the eyes of his righteous neighbors.

REBECCA NURSE (age 60’s-80’s, could be played by an actor age 50’s-80’s): Francis Nurse’s wife and an elder of the Salem community. Pious, kind, patient and virtuous.  Her age, combined with the respect she has earned from the community, has made her unafraid to voice her opinions.  Appalled by the behavior of the court, she stands solidly in the path of the tidal wave of fear, hatred and bigotry until it engulfs her.

GILES COREY (age 70’s-80’s, could be played by an actor age 60’s-80’s): A farmer. Giles is a plainspoken, hardworking man of the land, who is straightforward and unrefined.  He has little formal education and relies on his ‘common sense’ which he finds more relevant than the dominant public opinion. Giles speaks before thinking, but underneath this rebellious attitude resides a good heart.

REV. JOHN HALE (age 35, could be played by an actor age 20’s-50’s): A respected minister and expert on witchcraft, Hale is brought to Salem to judge the veracity of the girl’s claims.  He is an observant, judicious, rational man of faith, who truly believes in his power to heal and return individuals to God. Hale believes honestly in the trials until they begin to veer out of control.  He becomes doubtful, and suffers great internal struggle and guilt over the outcome, so Hale tries to intervene and do what he can to help some of the last accused.

ELIZABETH PROCTOR (age 30’s, could be played by actor age 20’s to 40’s): John Proctor’s wife. Honest, proud, faithful, and principled, to a fault. Elizabeth is a person who sees little or no latitude when it comes to what is right. Growing up in an oppressive patriarchal society, Elizabeth has perhaps overcompensated by investing all her time and energy into her faith, morals and society’s expectations of her.  At times, her rigid austerity tips toward coldness.  She is deeply hurt by her husband’s infidelity, but still loves him fiercely and struggles with how to move past his affair with Abigail.  She seems to be able to sense what is really going on in Salem, before anyone else recognizes it.  Elizabeth finds out she is pregnant again after she has been jailed for witchcraft.

FRANCIS NURSE (age 60’s-80’s):  Elder of Salem and the husband of Rebecca Nurse.  An upstanding member of the community who is honest, humble and straightforward.  When his wife is accused, he comes to her aid and attempts to reason with the court for her release.

EZEKIEL CHEEVER (age 20’s-50’s): Officer of the court who takes his responsibilities of the court extremely seriously and does its bidding even when it involves arresting friends and neighbors.  Cheever is torn between duty and humanity. Role may double with Hopkins.

JUDGE HAWTHORNE (age 40’s-70): The judge presiding over the witch trials, and second in command to Danforth.  He is confident and resolute, believes strongly in his own authority and importance, and is willfully ignorant to any dissent voiced by the community.

DEPUTY-GOVERNOR DANFORTH (age 30’s-60’s): Deputy Governor of Massachusetts. Danforth is called to Salem to preside over the witch trials. He is imperious, absolute, commanding, relishes his own power, knows the law and is unwilling to deviate from it or entertain exceptions or opposing views.  Danforth is not afraid to use his position and authority to bully suspects and dissenters.

MARTHA COREY (age 50’s-70’s): Giles Corey’s third wife. Giles unknowingly condemns his wife to be found guilty of witchcraft, and she briefly testifies in court. Role may double with another.

SARAH GOOD (age 50’s-60): A homeless woman and one of the first accused of witchcraft. Eccentric, slovenly, and prone to inappropriate outbursts, her unbecoming behavior sets her apart from the rest of the community. Sarah is pregnant, which at her age and due to lack of husband, makes an automatic guilty verdict inevitable.  She confesses to witchcraft to escape hanging.

HOPKINS (age 20’s-50’s):  Guard in Salem prison.

Important information about Auditions:

• Please sign up for one audition slot. (If for some reason you are unable to keep your audition time, please notify Director Amanda Perry as soon as possible at amanda.perry@dakotastage.org)
• This will be a very intense, emotionally charged and character driven production, so it is recommended that actors read the script beforehand, and have some idea of the character relationships and sequence of events in the play before auditions.
• It is recommended (though not required) that actors prepare one of the attached monologues for auditions. No need to memorize!
• Please arrive 10-15 minutes early for your designated audition so that you have enough time to fill out an audition form. You may also bring a theatre resume.  Make sure to take a look at your schedule from February 10-March 30, so that you can write down any conflicts you may have with rehearsals/performances.  Expect rehearsals to be Sundays-Thursdays, 6pm-8:30pm (going later in the evening when we start full run-throughs)
• Any perusal scripts that have been checked out must be returned at your audition or before.
• During your audition you will be asked to do cold readings from the script, and interact with other actors onstage. You will also be asked to read a monologue and do some improvisation exercises with others.  This will be a very physically intense production for some of the characters as well, so you may also be asked to do a brief, guided movement audition.  Please dress in something that can accommodate.
• We have 30 minutes per audition group, so we will be moving quickly through readings and exercises. You may not get to read for every role you are interested in, but you will be considered for every role, regardless.  We will be holding a call-back audition later in the week for actors who we would like to see again.
• We are looking for actors who are creative, flexible, willing to work hard and take risks, and who are going to work together as a supportive team to create a beautifully haunting and unique version of this well-known and relevant show.
• After we see everyone at their initial audition, we may decide to hold a call-back audition for certain roles, on Tuesday, February 4^th, 6pm. If we would like to see you at call-backs, we will contact you individually.  If you do not get called back, it does NOT necessarily mean you won’t be cast, just that we saw what we needed to from you at your initial audition to make a decision!
• Due to mature themes, actors must be at least 15 years old to be cast in The Crucible, and must provide a signed parental/guardian consent form and direct parent/guardian acknowledgement prior to start of rehearsal.
• Try to relax and have fun with your audition! We are happy to see you there!

Volunteers

Volunteer information to be posted at a later date

Production Team

Production Staff to be announced at a later date