Theater Review | ‘John Proctor is the Villain’

Playwright Kimberly Belflower’s John Proctor is the Villain exemplifies the simultaneous rage and joy of the female experience. This pointed exploration of gender-based power dynamics uses connections to Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and the “me too” movement as inspiration for a contemporary discussion about the manifestation of female power — especially when born from the emotional chaos of victimization. Directed by Sara Rademacher, the student showcase production of this play at SBCC runs through November 18 at the Jurkowitz Theatre on campus.

In the play, everyone’s favorite teacher, Mr. Smith (played by Alex Keever), is teaching The Crucible in his 11^th-grade literature class. Students Beth, Raelynn, Nell, Ivy, and Shelby are friends, teenage girls discovering and defining their personal views on feminism (with little help from the elders of their tiny, behind-the-times town in rural Georgia). Things get complicated when Ivy’s father is accused of unsavory conduct by a female ex-employee, and the teens are faced with two options: “believe women” or back their confused friend who desperately wants to trust her father. Tensions rise to a breaking point when Shelby, who was mysteriously absent for the first part of the term, admits to an inappropriate sexual relationship with good ‘ol Mr. Smith. The social balance is thrown into chaos as lies, accusations, and rumors run rampant, and the authority the students have been trained to respect is called into question.

The staging of John Proctor is the Villain is dynamic and focused, and the interactions between characters are natural and appropriately intense. The characters muddle through the complicated gray areas of modern-day feminism, and the production crosses the finish line with an emotional climax that shoulders the burden of the history of female oppression and empowerment. It’s a rousing piece of theater that recognizes and champions female tenacity and resilience.

John Proctor is the Villain is on stage at SBCC’s Jurkowitz Theater (721 Cliff Dr.) through November 18. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (805) 965-5935 or see theatregroupsbcc.com.