At the end of Arthur Miller’s classic play, “The Crucible,” protagonist John Proctor refuses to lie, even to save his own life. Overwhelmed by what he is being asked to do, he exclaims, "I have given you my soul; leave me my name!" With this last act, he is seen as a symbol of integrity.

Well, anyway, that’s what beloved teacher Carter Smith (charming Gabriel Ebert) tells his high school honors lit class in a rural Georgia town. The girls in class adore him; some even sexualize him with his slow sweet Southern drawl, languid speech, and friendly air. Smith understands them. He gets even more points when he offers to be the advisor for their club.

Yet as the play ensues, some of the girls question the interpretation of character. After all, Proctor committed adultery, kept his wife subservient and now by ‘keeping his good name' went to his death, leaving her and their unborn child to fend for themselves. He opts to save his soul but at her expense. I must admit that I never thought of the play that way. Hardly heroic or noble. And let’s not forget his relationship with a teenage girl.

The new play by Kimberly Belflower, “John Proctor is the Villain”, focuses on young high school students, many of whom are dealing with their own issues regarding sex, relationships and local scandals. Directed by Danya Taymor, the play is female focused.The girls could almost see stereotyped but Belflower skillfully created characters that are fresh, original and believable at the same time.

One scandal involves Ivy’s father. Maggie Kuntz plays Ivy who, appalled when her father is accused of inappropriate behavior with a coworker and ashamed,keeps making excuses for him.

Beth, (Fina Strazza) is the nerdy, tense, uptight one, always worried about grades and over- organized. She’s the student we all recognize (and maybe were.) She idolizes Smith, even texting him.

Raelynn (Amalia Yoo) is conflicted about her boyfriend Lee (Hagan Oliveras),who cheated on her with her best friend Shelby. He comes to her claiming he made a mistake and begging for a second chance.

Nell (Morgan Scott) is the new girl, who recently came from Atlanta. Although she seems worldly and experienced, she expresses her insecurities, dropping her guard when she does her class project with Mason (Nihar Duvvuri.) Mason is sweet and almost simple, and provides some of the humor in the play.

Midway through the play, Shelby reappears in school, after having been away for a few months. Shelby (an excellent Sadie Sink ) reappears with feistiness and anger. Shelby is the wild outspoken child with the slutty”reputation. Sink is excellent, showing both aggressiveness and vulnerability.

The girls want to create a feminist club but the guidance counselor, a former student there herself, explains that it doesn't fit the present climate. Smith comes to the rescue by suggesting they combine it with a literature club. The audience knowingly murmured, recalling book banning and DEI cuts throughout the country.

Early in the play one of these students asks why the girls dance naked in the woods in “The Crucible.” By the end, we begin to understand why. Although dancing was perceived as being possessed by the devil, maybe their dancing symbolized the opposite, and this was a release of emotions and repression from the hypocrisy by those in charge.

The play is engrossing and exciting. The young performers are realistic but sympathetic. The audience roots for them and quietly cheers them on, especially when Shelby makes an explosive announcement.

Smith pairs the students together for the final project-two characters from the Crucible interact who never are together in the play. By the end, Shelby and Raelynn having reconciled, end their project in wild frenetic dance, joined by Nell and Mason and let it all ‘hang out.’