Sitting in a classroom, searching for meaning in a classic story. If Emma Graffam’s acting in that scenario looks convincing, maybe it’s because she remembers living the experience not so long ago.
“John Proctor is the Villain” was the latest showcase for Graffam and her castmates from the Theatre Department at the University of Southern Maine. The play ran November 6-10 at Russell Hall on the Gorham campus.
The play’s title refers to another play, “The Crucible,” in which John Proctor is executed after speaking out against the Salem witch trials. Arthur Miller wrote “The Crucible” in 1953 as a metaphor for the anti-Communist crusade led by Sen. Joseph McCarthy. “John Proctor is the Villain” centers on a group of contemporary teenagers who are studying “The Crucible.”
Graffam first encountered “The Crucible” as a high school freshman by reading it aloud in class. At the time, play’s serious themes made less of an impression than the silly voices that her friends assumed to play the suspected witches and their accusers.
“Back then, it was funny, ha-ha,” Graffam said. “It hits differently now.”
Today, Graffam is a junior in the USM Theatre program. She played Beth in “John Proctor is the Villain.” As per the title, Beth’s study group rejects the traditional view of Proctor as “The Crucible’s” hero based on his sexual misconduct with a servant girl. Their discussion mirrors their growing awareness about similar behavior in the world around them.
Kimberly Belflower wrote “John Proctor is the Villain” in 2018. The #MeToo movement had recently exploded online with its mission to hold sexual predators accountable. Sara Valentine directed the play for USM. After hearing about a performance in Boston last year, she knew it would resonate on campus.
“I think a really good play lets the audience carry the conversation back out into their lives,” Valentine said. “‘What would I do? What would you do? Oh, you think that way? Oh, I think this way. Isn’t that interesting? We think differently about it.’ And hopefully it provides a platform for conversation.”
As part of the cast’s preparations, Valentine invited members of the nonprofit group Speak About It to visit a rehearsal. Speak About It uses theater arts to teach relationship skills like setting boundaries and seeking consent. The lessons had a dual purpose. It helped the actors understand their characters’ voices, as well as their own voices as professionals.
“From the get-go, we’ve pretty much established that we’re making this together,” Valentine said. “I’m the director, but we’re also doing this collaboratively and collectively. It’s really important to communicate your needs because we can’t read each other’s minds. And if we know what our needs are, we can always be sure they’re addressed.”
Will McPherson would tend to his needs by sometimes taking a break after especially intense scenes. He’s a senior in the Theatre program. In his role as Lee, McPherson had to use his physicality to impose himself on other characters. It was all just acting, but that doesn’t mean it was easy to turn those emotions on and off.
“The first time going through, I found I had a lot of energy and anxiety in my chest after we had done one of the heavier scenes,” McPherson said. “Having those moments where I could meet with Lily (Tayler) who plays Raelynn and reconnect with ourselves as people after those heightened moments really helped to detach ourselves from the characters.”
The authentic emotion on display connected with young audiences. Over the last few years, the play built a national following through stagings at high schools and college campuses where it was easy to fill a cast of mostly teenagers. Its success reaches a new level next spring when the play is set to debut on Broadway.
That upward trajectory has become a pattern with USM productions. The same thing happened with “The Thanksgiving Play,” which made the jump to Broadway soon after its 2022 run on the Gorham campus.
“Maybe USM Theatre has its finger on the pulse of what is going to be the next hottest thing,” Valentine said.
“The Thanksgiving Play” was one of Emma Graffam’s first acting credits at USM. Two years later, she brought a veteran’s skill to her character’s arc in “John Proctor is the Villain,” as Beth is forced to confront some hard truths about the people in her life. Graffam hopes that Beth’s journey sent a message to the audience.
“Listen to the women in your lives and the children in your lives,” Graffam said. “Voices that get pushed down are just as important as the other ones.”