I had the pleasure of attending the opening night of “John Proctor is the Villain” on Broadway on April 14. The show stars Sadie Sink and was written by the incredible Kimberly Belflower. Additionally, the show was directed by Dayna Taymor who, just this last season, directed “The Outsiders.”
This production has a team of wildly talented artists, and they made something together that has already, even early in its run, deeply impacted many.
“Five young women running on pop music, optimism, and fury, are about to shed light on some of the darkest secrets in their one stoplight town.” This is the description that “John Proctor is the Villain” shares on its website, but that quick blurb cannot capture the true beauty and relevancy of this new play.
The story takes place during the wake of the “MeToo” movement in 2018, and it centers on a high school class reading “The Crucible.” Slowly, the teenagers come to realize the dark similarities between the play they’re reading and their own small town. It is a story about girlhood, learning that sometimes the people we think we can trust are not always who they seem to be, and that it is okay—and a good thing—to feel.
“John Proctor is the Villain” received rave reviews following its opening night, and the responses from audience members on social media have been overwhelmingly positive. This is all for very good reason because it is impossible to put into words the energy that the show creates in the Booth Theatre every night, especially in its concluding scene.
If you are in New York City, and you’re looking for your next show, this is the one that you do not want to miss. It is a show that everyone should see. The messages it sends are crucial in our world today, and every person will walk out of the theatre with either a new perspective or the feeling of finally being seen by a piece of art.
“A perfect play! The best of the season,” from Variety.
“A vital, thrilling and ecstatic new play,” from The New York Times.
“Vital, hilarious, thrilling, and urgently necessary,” from The New York Times.
“Grade A! Brilliant, laugh-out-loud funny and deeply affecting—it is pure perfection,” from Entertainment.
“Pure, heartbreaking perfection,” from Entertainment.
