Main Street Theatre Works presents THE CRUCIBLE

Witches are coming to the Kennedy Mine Amphitheatre in Jackson as Main Street Theatre Works presents Arthur Miller's classic play, The Crucible, directed by Susan McCandless.

It's Salem, Massachusetts, 1692. The girls of this small, devout town, under the malign spell of their ringleader Abigail Williams, accuse countless decent people of witchcraft. Gradually it becomes clear that Abigail has her own motives for revenge, as fear and injustice rip apart the village. Arthur Miller's explosive account of the famous Salem witch trials caused a sensation when he wrote it in 1953, with its parallels to the Communist scares of the 1950s, and it remains one of his most enduring classics. It has the intensity of a thriller, but is also a cautionary tale of extremism that can lead to dangerous mass hysteria. The Crucible runs August 11th - September 9th.

MSTW produced The Crucible in 1999, when they were in the Sutter Creek Theatre. Seventeen years later, and under the same director, Susan McCandless, the show moves to the outdoor amphitheatre, bringing an eerie edge to this classic tale. And MSTW brings a stellar cast of 18 onto the boards to tell the tale. Lead actors include Brandon Lancaster as John Proctor, Lynn Baker as Elizabeth Proctor, Devon La Bar (last seen in as Larkin Barkin in Doublewide, Texas) as Abigail Williams, and Don Hayden as Judge Danforth. Also in the cast are Thomas Dean (Reverend Hale), Janey Pintar (Mary Warren), Carla Fleming (Tituba), Jim Lane (Francis Nurse), Erin Renfree (Rebecca Nurse), and Ken Nitchke (reprising his 1999 role as Giles Corey), as well as Scott Taylor (Reverend Parris), Jacob Garcia (Willard), Haliegh Miller (Mercy Lewis), Mark Stone (Eziekiel Cheever/Judge Hathorne), Bethany Hidden (Sara Good/Ann Putnam), and the Nauman family ~ Paul Nauman (Thomas Putnam), Zoe Nauman (Susanna Wolcott), and Marlies Nauman (Betty Parris).

Main Street Theatre Works is a professionally oriented theatre company, performing in the heart of Amador County. Now entering its 23rd season, MSTW continues to be dedicated to bringing professional and community theatre artists together to produce classical and contemporary plays, striving for a balance that stimulates both artists and audiences.

The setting for the amphitheatre is truly spectacular. Located on the Kennedy Mine property, patrons walk past an old tailing wheel (used when the mine was in operation), across an old bridge, into a grass-covered, terraced bowl, surrounded by majestic oaks. There the stage is set for picnicking and enjoying professional quality productions. You are truly sitting on a gold mine, enjoying theatre under the stars.

Performances are Friday and Saturday nights, with gates opening at 6:30, show starting at 8:00. Patrons are encouraged to come early with picnics, chairs and jackets. The Kennedy Mine Amphitheatre is located at 1127 N. Main Street in Jackson.