THE PERFORMANCE
THE CRUCIBLE STUDY GUIDE

Talk about the Performance!
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All people involved with a production want their audiences to discuss their responses to the play with each other. People sharing their perspectives, reactions, opinions, and feelings about a production is essential to keeping theater vital and alive. The following questions will help you express your responses to the Broadway production of The Crucible.

ABOUT THE PLAY AND PRODUCTION

1. What was your overall reaction?

2. Did the production move too slowly, too quickly or at just the right speed?

3. How did attending the student matinee of The Crucible affect your impressions and opinions about the play?

4. What aspects of the production (such as sets, costumes, lights, sound or acting) were similar to how you envisioned them? What aspects were different? Do you think any of your ideas were better than the Producer's ideas? If so, which ones and why?

5. What scenes in the play did you find most/least interesting, entertaining, and enjoyable? What was it about these scenes that made you like/dislike them so much?

6. Would you recommend this production to anyone? If so, to whom? If not, why not?

ABOUT THE CHARACTERS

1. Did any of the characters touch you personally? Who was your favorite? Why?

2. Were the motivations of the characters clear? In other words, could you always see what the characters wanted?

ABOUT THE PERFORMANCES

1. Which actor do you think gave the best performance? What did the actor portraying this role do which made her/him your favorite actor?

2. How did the way the actors used their bodies onstage enhance their performances?

ABOUT THE SET

1. Did the set provide an appropriate environment and atmosphere?

2. Did the set reflect the themes, type, and style of play as written by Arthur Miller?

3. Did you find any interesting details in the set? If so, what were they?

ABOUT LIGHTING AND SOUND

1. Did the lighting establish mood and atmosphere? If so, how?

2. Were there any moments when the lighting was particularly effective? If so, when?

3. Were the music and sound effects appropriately conceived?

4. Did the music provide an appropriate "mood" for the play?

ABOUT COSTUMES/MAKE-UP/HAIRSTYLES

1. Were all of these elements correct in terms of the period fashion?

2. Did these elements serve to illuminate any of the themes, type and style of the play?

3. Do you think these elements reflected the characters? What clues did these elements give about the characters before the actors said or did anything?

Written and Designed by
David Biele, Arts in Education Consultant