By Rosalia Jimenez
The Grand Rapids Community College Players are putting on the greatest performance of their semester with a one-weekend-only showcasing of “John Proctor is the Villain” by Kimberly Bellflower and directed by Emily Diener. The play will be performed in Spectrum Theater on April 3, 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $10 for GRCC faculty and staff and $5 for students.
This play follows a group of high school students learning about the classic 1953 play, “The Crucible,” by American playwright Arthur Miller. The students navigate through different aspects of high school life while viewing the classic play through a contemporary lens. They realize their power in discovering the truth and question who the real hero is.
Director Emily Diener, a play committee member from Ohio, said, “This was chosen by the GRCC Play selection committee last season when they were putting together their season for this year, and it really fit well with the climate of what’s going on with the younger generation in America.”
Support professional Jonathan Wheeler agreed with Diener, saying, “It’s a heavy-hitting play that students can connect with.”
The chemistry within the cast was easy to find.
Actor Kayden Bravata, who plays Lee Turner, said, “I wouldn’t say it was hard…It was definitely more of a starting from ground zero than others… There were certain castmates that I didn’t know, but that’s part of the fun, getting to know your castmates and developing that chemistry.”
Like Bravata, 21-year-old pre-theater major Jenna Molish from Crownpoint, Indiana, who plays Shelby Holcomb, said, “I think that everybody in this cast has such good natural chemistry.”
Following Bravata and Molish, 25-year-old Eliana Hilliker from Allendale and 23-year-old Lillian Youngquist from Grand Rapids agreed that cast chemistry was incredibly easy to find and develop.
While cast chemistry was easy for those acting in the play, stage manager Isazic Ortiz, a pre-theater major from Wayland, found their communication excellent.
“The people are very receptive, very timely, and they’re good at communicating, and communication is the most important thing,” he said.
With opening day coming quickly, the cast is thrilled to have an audience in the seats.
Hilliker said, “It’s like you wanna put on a good show for them, and you want them to be able to have a good time and still absorb it but also leave with impact.”
The theater department always welcomes new faces, and all of the cast and crew encourage people to see the play.
Youngquist said, “If you’re nervous about auditions, there is nothing to be nervous about, and if you like theater and you want to get involved and make some friends, then I think doing it with the GRCC Players is the easiest way to go about it.”
