SUNY New Paltz Department of Theatre Arts presents Arthur Miler’s “The Crucible,” one of the most acclaimed plays in the American theatrical canon, as the second installment of its 2026-27 Mainstage Production series.
Performances will be given from Nov. 13-15 and 19-22 at McKenna Theatre. Tickets can be purchased at this link.Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Parker Theatre Box Office 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, as well as one hour prior to showtime on each performance day. Tickets are $10 for the public and $5 for SUNY New Paltz students.
“The Crucible” is directed by Associate Professor of Theatre Arts Catherine Doherty. Run time is two hours and 30 minutes, with a 10-minute intermission.
“The Crucible” is presented through arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Dramatists Play Service.
About “The Crucible"
Set in Massachusetts during the infamous Salem Witch Trials of the late 1600s, “The Crucible” focuses on a young farmer, his wife and a young servant-girl who maliciously causes the wife’s arrest for witchcraft. The farmer brings the girl to court to admit the lie, and a monstrous course of bigotry and deceit is terrifyingly depicted. Instead of saving his wife, the farmer also finds himself accused of witchcraft—and ultimately condemned along with a host of others.
Students of every Theatre Arts concentration (Performance, Design and Technology, and Theatre Studies) are excited for the dynamic experience of producing “The Crucible” with, Doherty notes, period costumes, experimental set design, the opportunity to play characters based on real 17th-century Americans and opportunities to “historically, politically and emotionally” unpack the events that led to Miller penning “The Crucible”—namely, the formation of the House Un-American Activities Committee, which subpoenaed Miller during the Communist scare of the 1950s.
“‘The Crucible’ is just as impactful and as resonant in 2026 as it was in 1953,” says Doherty. “Audiences always respond to issues of loyalty and betrayal—which is at the heart of the play—as well as the price many of the characters pay. The stakes couldn’t be higher.”
Doherty cites a recent uptick in productions of “The Crucible” across the U.S. as evidence that its themes are particularly relevant today.
“The play reflects some sentiments about the unfortunate, divided political climate in which we find ourselves today, where one aspect is the weaponization of fear,” she says. “To that end, this play is ultimately a timeless reckoning.”
“The Crucible” first premiered on Broadway in 1953 and went on to win four Tony Awards, including Best Play, that same year.