“A powerful play and genuine contribution to this epoch of ours”
                                                                                – The New York Times

“Another major work of Arthur Miller, the playwright of Death of a Salesman “

“The breathtaking presence of Lee Soon-jae, Lee Ho-seong and talented newcomers Ji Hyun-jun, Jung Woon-sun”

“A thrilling theatrical experience to come!”

Arthur Miller’s mind-blowing play, The Crucible, will open at the Myeongdong Theater, closing the National Theater Company’s season of the year 2015. Author Miller, who won the Pulitzer Prize and was considered one of the greatest American playwrights, was summoned to the House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) due to this play that mirrored a distorted reflection of American society in that period to the witch-hunts of the 17^th century. The breathtaking presence of Lee Soon-jae, Lee Ho-seong, Jung Woon-sun and a ‘Dong-A Play’ Awardee for ‘Best Newcomer’ Ji Hyun-jun will keep the audience’s attention to their superb acting. The collaboration between the director Park Jeong-hee, known for delicate yet daring interpretations, and Shin Sun-hee, called as the godmother of Korean stage art, will culminate in the breathtaking and ‘true to life’ tragedy with an encompassing mise-en-scène. Breaking the ‘fourth wall’, the boundary between the stage and the audience, provides a stunning experience placing everyone in the position of a witness. A mass hysteria in the restrained Salem village and a tragedy of personal dignity become as much a story of our times.

In the gale of the communist witch-hunt in the McCarthy era in the 1950s, Arthur Miller has been accused by one of his fellows, which inspired him to write about the witch trials in the 17^th century of Salem, Massachusetts. The Crucible is a depiction, as much as a reflection of the real America, of how social intolerance and personal profit seeking can intersect and generate a hysteria that tears a community apart. In 2009, novelist Ji-young Gong caused a great sensation in Korea with her novel of the same title, The Crucible. It might be fair to say that even today we are living in a place like Salem, where ruthless madness and violence of mass action is still dominant. Now it is time to find answers of how to live and what to choose in a world where conscience is put through an ordeal.

Synopsis

Early in the year 1692, in the extremely religious Puritan village of Salem, a group of girls including Abigail go the woods at midnight and mischievously conjure up dead spirits. As the avaricious Reverend Paris witnesses them, this midnight event turns into a silly hysteria of witch trials. Old grudges and jealousies spill out into the open, accusing each other of witchcraft. Abigail, who still desires Proctor in the turmoil, accuses his wife Elizabeth of witchcraft to eliminate her. In order to rescue his wife, Proctor reveals the truth. By this time, Deputy Governor Danforth has sentenced numerous people to the gallows. Desire grows fierce and righteousness is convoluted with falsehood...

※ Get closer and experience the onstage energy!

Onstage seats will be arranged for this performance. Experience closely the shocking incident in Salem and the fierce courtroom drama. Only 36 seats are available (for each performance), so don’t miss your chance!

※ Precautions for Onstage Seats   

-The entrance to the onstage seats may be different from that to the general auditorium, so please pick up your ticket 30 minutes prior to show time and enter under an usher’s guidance.  

-Onstage seats are part of the set design. Since onstage seats are random sized, they may cause inconvenience compared with general seats. Please consider the possibility of restricted view seats before purchasing your ticket.

-Late arrival and leaving in the middle of the show will not be allowed. (Entrance during intermission is allowed.)

-Onstage seats have no assigned seat numbers, and the seating selection will be first come, first-served.

※ Up to the second row of the main floor is part of the stage. The auditorium starts from the third row of the main floor. Onstage seats (Stalls) with no assigned seat numbers are available for reservation.

About Arthur Miller   

Arthur Miller, who has become a playwright based on the belief that audience engagement can bring up change among people, shifts frequently back and forth between past and present, exploring the matter of personal identity and the Zeitgeist in which the individual exists. Miller received public attention after he won the ‘New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award’ with All My Sons, and as the recipient of the ‘Pulitzer Prize’, ‘Tony Award’ and the ‘New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award’ for Death of a Salesman, he has gained recognition as the most prominent playwright in twentieth-century American theatre.

The fine blend of youth and maturity

                                        -Commentary (Kim Sang-yul Theater Awards)-

About the director

Director Park Jeong-hee received attention for her lyricism, imagery, and physical symbolism in juvenile drama, and after demonstrating her own characteristics as being challenging and experimental in the production of The Maids (Les Bonnes) in 2001, she is now recognized as a prominent figure in Korean Theater and continues to work on classics and original plays. 

Cast
Lee Soon-jae, Lee Ho-seong, Lee Moon-soo, Lee Hyun-soon, Jung Jai-jin, Kim Hyo-sook, Choi Kwang-il, Chae Kuk-hee, Jung Eun-koung, Mun Kyung-hee, Kim Jeong-ho, Kang Jin-hwi, Kim Jung-hwan, Yoo Jung-min, Ji Hyun-jun, Sim Wan-jun, Lee Ki-don, Jung Hye-seon, Jung Woon-sun, Noh Chang-Kyun, Park Min-ji, Jung Ji-young, Kyung Ji-eun, Byambanyam Yanjindulam

Translator : Kim Yun-cheol
Embelishment : Koh Young-bum 
Director : Park Jeong-hee

Stage, Props Designer : Shin Sun-hi
Lighting Designer : Kim Chang-key
Costume Designer : Lee yun-jung
Music : Jang Yeong-gyu, Kim sun
Make-up Designer : Baek Ji-young
Choreographer : Keum Bae-sub
Assistant Director : Byeon Hye-hoon