Review: WITCHES!? IN SALEM?! at TAFE: Theatre Arts For Everyone

TAFE: Theatre Arts for Everyone is excited to present their first show of the year.  Witches!? In Salem?! is now on stage from February 20th to 23rd under the direction of Quinton Laughman.  Witches?! In Salem?! is an irreverent dark comedy written by Matt Cox.  This isn’t your average play about witch trials that you may have read in high school like The Crucible by Arthur Miller.  Much like his previous parody play, Puff, Cox uses physical comedy, puns and double entendres to entertain and educate his audience on the events that lead to the 1692 witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts.

Satan, played by Karen Leclaire, starts the show off with rules and a disclaimer that the many deaths that occur in the Salem witch trials were not his idea.  A chilling reminder of the evil that humans are capable of on their own.  The show’s narrator is Jenny Anne Bishop, played by Michaela Wagner.  She’s a precocious 8th grader who loves American History, and she keeps the story steady and moving forward amid the chaos and finger pointing.  The villains, Thomas Putnam (Andrea Stephenson) and Reverend Parris (Lucas Wise) start trouble in Salem for their own greed and vanity by using their children (Katrina Wagner, Bryn Walker, Emily Ryan, and Sophia DiMercurio) to name the witches in town.

This is a high energy show with an almost improv feel with lots of physical comedy.  Many cast members were tasked with playing multiple parts, and I was impressed as always with their talent at creating a completely different character with a separate set of mannerisms, voices, and running gags.  Some switches were even mid scene!  Zachary Thompson had many laughs with his over the top performance as the evil Magistrate embodying multiple judges for the trial.  The Bloodkravens, played by Michaela Wagner and Mark Tauzin, were a fun twist as an actual witch and wizard trying to avoid being accused.

The ensemble cast includes Karen Leclaire (Satan/Sarah Good), Michaela Wagner (Jenny Anne Bishop/Bella’loch Bloodkraven), Andra Stephenson (Thomas Putnam), Katrina Wagner (Thomas Putnam Sr./Ann Putnam Jr.), Lucas Wise (Reverend Parris), Bryn Walker (Abigail Williams/Hot Wife/Sarah Dustin), Sofia DiMercurio (Betty Parris/Weird Member of the Congregation), Emily Ryan (Mary Warren/Martha Corey), Kade Junk (Reveren Cotton Mather/Wealthy Bostonian), Gina Wagner (Reverend Increase Mather/Bridget Bishop), Kimahria Garcia (Governor Phips/Farmer John #1/A Bostonian), Dorian White (Doctor Griggs/Edward Bishop), Michelle Morningstar (Lydia Dustin/Goody Bibber), Susan Bradfield (Rebecca Nurse), Mark Tauzin (Xanatar Bloodkraven/Unnamed Villager), Clayson Samuelsen (Joh Proctor/Joseph Ballard/Special Effects), Keven Keith Allen (Farmer George), Zachary Thompson (Farmer John #2/The Magistrate), Dianne Newman (Constable Ephraim Wildes/Sign Person).

The minimal set design by Jason Collison worked well with the constant movement of the show.  The costumes by Karen Leclaire and Dorian White were simple, and I loved the construction paper pilgrim hats.  It was a nostalgic throwback to the pilgrim hats many of us remember making in elementary school for Thanksgiving.  The props mistress, Jennifer Mooney, found some unique and creative props for the the different jokes in the show.