(photo by Don Ipock)
This review was written by a TeenTix KC teen who is learning about arts journalism through the Press Corps, which provides teens with training and tools to respond to their arts experiences. TeenTix KC seeks to engage teens in the arts and amplify their voices. This may be the first time this teen has publicly expressed their opinion about an arts experience. Thank you for reading and supporting this teen’s development as an arts journalist.
The world is so used to the man getting the final say… It can blind us to who is truly the villain, and it’s time for us to open our eyes. John Proctor Is the Villain is a play about high school girls reading and debating whether or not John Proctor is truly a hero in The Crucible. Little did they know they were enacting a modern-day retelling.
Taking place in a one-stoplight (soon to be two) town, every scene in John Proctor Is the Villain had tension, making the crowd hold their breath unconsciously. The girls hope to open a feminist club, but the school’s guidance counselor, played by Elaine Elizabeth, says it’s “not the right time” for a girls-only club. Mr. Carter Smith, played by Shane Kenyon, convinces her that if there were some male students in the club, it would work. This problem-solving makes the girls idolize him.
Many of the girls at the school are infatuated with Mr. Smith. Beth, played by Jo Pellow, begins eating her lunch in Mr. Smith’s classroom. She curates a closer relationship with him by discussing the book recommendations he’s given her. The audience begins to wonder how close a relationship is appropriate. This is a common theme throughout the play, as rape and other forms of sexual assault are a dark throughline.
Shelby, played by Mizha Lee Overn, who had spent six months in Atlanta with her grandmother, was my favorite character for multiple reasons. She was an outcast, but following a breakdown during rehearsal for The Crucible when Mr. Smith insisted John Proctor was a hero, she began speaking out about justice. Her emotional performance was beautifully paired with her childhood friend Raelynn, played by Avery Moss, as they begin to reconnect, talk about their past, and reconcile.
Kimberly Belflower’s John Proctor Is the Villain, directed by Laura Alcalá Baker, is an excellently written story full of emotion and meanings deeper than the written words played out to be, so I would highly recommend seeing it at KC Rep’s Copaken Stage while you can. It runs through October 25, with the show lasting around two hours with no intermission.
With a TeenTix KC pass, you can see this show for only $5, and if you want your parent or friend to see it with you, you can get a second ticket for $5! If you aren’t already a TeenTix KC member, you can sign up for free online!
Reviewed by TeenTix KC Press Corps member Keeley Ferguson
TeenTix KC is a KC Studio initiative building a brighter future for our region by empowering young people to take an active role in shaping their arts community as audience members, critics, influencers, advocates, patrons and leaders. Any 13-19 year-old can become a TeenTix KC member by downloading a free pass which enables them to buy $5 tickets to participating arts venues across metro KC. Teens are encouraged to become critics and influencers by writing reviews and creating reels about the arts they experience using their TeenTix KC passes.
