Classic play comes to life in Ocala

Lilly Gonzalez as Betty Parris, left, and Katarina Shaner as Abigail Williams, right, rehearse a scene from The Crucible as members of the Ensemble look on behind them at The Civic on East Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. The play is live on stage from Oct. 30 to Nov. 16 at the Ocala Civic Theatre. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2025.

One online reference among hundreds of them related to Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” notes that he wrote in an introduction of the work that, “I believe that the reader will discover here the essential nature of one of the strangest and most awful chapters in human history.”

Based on historical people and real events, the classic play about witch-hunts and trials in 17th-century Salem, Massachusetts, “is a searing portrait of a community engulfed by hysteria,” the item states.

And now that time, and those people, will come to life on the stage of the Ocala Civic Theatre, also known as The Civic, from Oct. 30 to Nov. 16, for 15 performances.

In 1692 in Salem, in the Puritan colony of Massachusetts, Rev. Samuel Parris (Tom Ferreira) is horrified to find a dozen girls dancing in the forest at midnight, including his daughter, Betty (Lilly Gonzalez) and niece, Abigail Williams (Katarina Shaner). Mercy Lewis (Gianna Hess), Mary Warren (Iyanna Lynell) and Susanna Walcott (Kaitlyn Nast) are among the girls with them. Tituba (Alexis Medina), an enslaved woman of the Parris household, sings her songs from Barbados by the fire as the girls dance and run through the woods, noted materials provided by The Civic.

When discovered by her father, Betty faints and remains mysteriously asleep — some say bewitched. The villagers gather at the Parris home to pray and speculate. Rumors of witchcraft spread.

Made bitter by loss and looking for someone to blame, Ann Putnam (Nicole Thomas) and her husband, Thomas (Daniel Roscoe), say their young daughter is bewitched as well. Rev. John Hale (Jack O’Leary), an expert on demonology, arrives to study the devil and his alleged works in Salem.

Desperate to avoid being hanged, the girls begin hurling false charges of witchcraft at townspeople. Accusations abound, and conjured or not, curses begin to befall saints and sinners alike, the materials explain.

John Proctor (James R. Taylor III) and his wife, Elizabeth (Lizzie McDonald), live just outside of town on their farm, where Abigail once had been a servant. Now she has a past with John and a grudge against Elizabeth. Her plan for revenge comes to pass when Ezekiel Cheever (Joshua Michel) arrives at the Proctor farm with a warrant for Elizabeth, also accused of witchcraft.

Kind Rebecca Nurse (Danuta Jacob), a respected elder in the village, tries to talk reason into her neighbors but she too is soon among the accused, to the dismay of her husband, Francis (Garry Michel). Peppery old Giles Corey (Timmy Spence) has a feud with seemingly everyone. As he stirs up discord, he falls under suspicion of darker motives. And Sarah Good (Megan Hilt), disdained as a crazy beggar woman, is one of Salem’s many scapegoats.

Soon the jail is full of the accused, under the jurisdiction of town marshal John Willard (Andrew Zampa) and jail guard Hopkins (Logan Smith). By the time Judge Hathorne (Trafton Crandall) and Judge Danforth (Scott Fitzgerald) preside over the witch trials, the community is in a frenzy of hysteria. An ever-present ensemble (Cadence Czarny, Suriana Im, Zumi Lewis, Sydney Sara Stanley, Grace Lynne Taylor, Isabella Valiente) bears witness.

“The Crucible” is directed by The Civic’s Executive and Artistic Director Greg Thompson. The scenic and projections designer is Mihai Ciupe. The costume designer is Amanda Jones and the assistant costume designer is Lydia Oestreich. The lighting designer is David Castaneda. Sound design is by Jazmine Whipple, with props designed by Laura Bradford. The stage manager is Ginny Riley.

We asked Thompson why this play was selected and if he had ever directed it before.

“Our Play Reading Committee fields numerous plays and musicals each year. ‘The Crucible’ has come up several times in the last few years. For our 75^th season, we were looking for a variety of shows; shows we’re reprising from the past and some we’ve never done before — representing past, present, future. This show is timeless and an American classic, with such a powerful and important message. I’ve seen it many times, but this is my first production,” he shared.

He said his approach is to, “Tell the story the very best way we can with the resources we have. We have kept it largely sparse, focusing the show on the dialogue and the story. We’ve set it in a way it could be anywhere in America — 400 years ago, or today.”

“I love that we have such a diverse talent pool — first timers on the stage and veterans alike. I love to teach as I direct, which is one of the reasons I’ve always loved working at The Civic. It presents challenges and amazing rewards as you see people try, learn and come into their own. We have also had a wonderful time designing this production,” Thompson shared.

As for what he hopes audiences will take away, Thompson stated, “I just want them to be engaged and leave talking about it. More interested in the world — where we’ve been and where we’re going. I really want people to come and be swept up in the momentum of the play and have their own experience.”

Katarina Shaner, who plays Abigail, shared that she is a bit of a vagabond.

“I say I’m from Colorado Springs, Colorado, because that’s where I ultimately ended up for high school but I spent a lot of time moving around as a kid, so I’ve gotten to experience a vast amount of the United States (many cities in Colorado, South Dakota, Arizona, Wisconsin, Utah, Idaho, a few cities in Virginia and now Florida. I moved to Ocala three years ago to be closer to my grandparents and my mom.

She attended college at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia. She double majored in theatre and secondary education. She began her teaching career five years ago in Stafford, Virginia. She currently is the theatre director at Howard Middle School.

“Howard is the Fine Arts Magnet middle school of Ocala. When I was hired a few years ago, the theatre program was non-existent. I am proud to now offer three levels of theatre classes, a musical theatre class co-taught with our chorus teacher, Hayley Christie, and an after-school drama program. There are two to three mainstage productions each year and many of my current and former theatre students also perform at OCT.

This is Shaner’s first production at The Civic, but not her first time playing the role of Abigail.

“I have been acting since I turned 11 and have been blessed with many opportunities to perform, one of them being in ‘The Crucible’ as Abigail when I was a junior in high school. My high school director, Ms. Shafer, is who I attribute my love of acting and theatrical work ethic to. She pushed me to be the best actor and person I could be. She gave compliments sparingly, so when we got them, it was truly appreciated,” Shaner shared.

“She taught me that behind every villain, like Abigail, there is just a person making the choices they think are right using the tools they have. She taught me that villains are to be understood and humanized by the actor, not demeaned and pigeon-holed as a caricature. That first experience playing Abigail expanded my understanding of empathy and human behavior, both on and offstage,” Shaner added.

“I hold Abigail Williams in a very special place in my heart, because I understand her. Yes, she is a villain. She is manipulative, vindictive and aggressive, but she is also just a young girl living in a society that has constrained her, dismissed her and ultimately made her desperate to be seen… to be heard… to be chosen.  We are as we always were, as Arthur Miller says,” Shaner continued.

Tom Ferreira, who was born in Portugal and moved to Florida when he was 11, went to Saint John’s High School and graduated from the University of Central Florida. He is no stranger to the stage at The Civic.

“My first show at OCT was ‘Into the Woods’ back in February of 1992, followed by ‘Carousel.’ I was ‘bit’ immediately. I have no idea how many shows I have been part of at OCT, but it must be over 50. I have also had the privilege of being part of a national tour of ‘The Fantastiks’ as well as some paid summer stock, neither of which would have been possible without OCT, which gave me the training and guest directors opened the doors for me. For anyone wanting to make acting or technical theater a career, OCT has the proper people and tools to help you open the right doors,” he shared.

“I am thoroughly enjoying sharing the stage with James Taylor again. Scott Fitzgerald is a master of vocal control and nuance. His portrayal of Danforth is both frighting and mesmerizing, and I’m over-joyed to be sharing the stage with him for the first time,” Ferreira said of his role in
“The Crucible.”

“Iyanna Skinner is a joy to watch. I’ve seen her in other productions, but she has grown and deepened as an actress in the role of Mary Warren. And then there’s Katarina Shaner, who plays my niece Abigail. She might be a newcomer to OCT, but she is incredible. A consummate actress who gives it her all and holds nothing back. I enjoy working with her as she is a very giving actress on stage and is always present,” he added.

“The rest of the cast is equally as strong, from the ensemble women (who are all teenagers) who have the unenviable task of saying little yet being the glue in all the scenes, to the smaller roles that help move the show along and present a cohesive tale. This show is a true ensemble piece. There are no true leads as there are no heroes or heroines. Everyone contributes to the whole; no one is superfluous,” Ferreira noted.

The Civic is located at 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. For tickets and more information about “The Crucible,” call (352) 236-2274 or go to ocalacivictheatre.com

The Crucible At The Ocala Civic Theatre

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