
DATE: Sunday, April 27, 1997                TAG: 9704240163

SECTION: CAROLINA COAST          PAGE: 08   EDITION: FINAL  

COLUMN: AFTER DARK  

SOURCE: John Harper  

                                            LENGTH:   67 lines

CORRECTION/CLARIFICATION: * Manteo High School teacher David Webb says he and Susan McRae did not quit as directors of ``The Crucible,'' as was written in a story in last Sunday's Coast, but canceled the play because many of the student actors did not show up for rehearsals. After the directors' action, students persuaded Pete Grana to direct them, and ``The Crucible'' will be performed at the Manteo High School Auditorium at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Correction published in The Virginian-Pilot, Tuesday, April 29, 1997, page B2 of the North Carolina edition. * BEWITCHING PLAY TO BE PERFORMED ON MANTEO HIGH SCHOOL STAGE

Hard on the heels of the movie version of ``The Crucible'' comes a stage production of the same story put on by a group of Manteo High School students.

The unnamed theatre group performs the show Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Manteo High School auditorium. Veteran Theatre of Dare performer Pete Grana directs the 18-member cast.

Grana stepped in when the show's original directors, David Webb and Susan McRae, quit during the early stages of rehearsals.

``The Crucible,'' written by American playwight Arthur Miller, (``Death of a Salesman``) is a dramatization of the 17th-century Salem witch trials that took place in New England.

``He actually wrote it during the 1950s,'' Grana says of the play. ``It was his response to McCarthy's hunt for communists. The play really shows how hysteria can control a town.''

Grana's setless staging of the play will put pressure on the young actors.

``We have just a couple of props,'' Grana says. ``This is going to be a real character play.''

The old vaudeville addage ``the show must go on'' fits this play's cast and crew. After ``The Crucible's'' original directors walked out a few weeks ago, it seemed the show would close before it ever even opened.

But now the public will get a chance to see a dedicated group of actors and technicians staging one of the great plays of American theatre.

``They sought me out to direct this show,'' Grana says.

``I made them all sign contracts. They've worked really, really hard.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by McLEAN ANDERSON

Director Pete Grana, left, discusses dialogue technique with 10th

grader Todd Davis, right, who plays Judge Hawthorne and Lindel Jones

an 11th grader who plays Danforth.

Graphic

HOW TO SEE IT

What: ``The Crucible''

When: Friday, May 2 and Saturday, May 3 at 8 p.m.

Where: Manteo High School auditorium

Tickets: Adults $4; students $3