John Proctor Is the Villain

CARTER SMITH – Teacher, mid-to-late 30s, M. A former golden boy, but one of those rare smart and sensitive ones. Now he’s a great teacher: charming, engaging, goofy.
SHELBY HOLCOMB – Student, 16, F. Her brain works faster than her mouth, but her mouth works pretty dang fast. People have always underestimated her.
BETH POWELL – Student, 17, F. Nervous and ambitious and enthusiastic. Kind of like if Rory Gilmore and Paris Geller had a baby and raised her in the Deep South.
NELL SHAW – Student, 16, F. from Atlanta. Grounded and sincere. Genuinely curious about things. A good judge of character, and a quick study.
IVY WATKINS – Student, 17, F. Fiercely loyal and always well-intentioned. From money. Resist the urge to play her as a mean girl.
RAELYNN NIX – Student, 16, F. A cheerleader type who’s always lived her life by other people’s standards. She was paying careful attention and keeping score the whole time.
MASON ADAMS – Student, 17, M. He’s never really tried before, and he’s surprised by how good it feels. Earnest and affable.
LEE TURNER – Student, 16, M. A Carhartt-wearing good ol’ boy. Deeply insecure and without the tools to deal with it. He’s always been good at getting what he wants.
BAILEY GALLAGHER – Counselor, 24, F. Sweet in all the ways Southern women are supposed to be. This is her first real job out of college. She’s trying her best.

Notes on Casting:
You can have as many other students present for the classroom scenes as you have room and resources for.

Also, rural Georgia doesn’t mean all white. Never has. The case can be made for any of these girls (and Mason) to be a person of color, but certain combinations leads to stereotypes and/or commentary the playwright is not trying to make. As such:

• Nell is Black, but if at all possible, she shouldn’t be the only person of color (POC) onstage.
• Nell and Shelby shouldn’t be the only POC.
• Lee and Mr. Smith are white. Full stop. I imagine Beth is white too, given the nature of her fumbles and oversights, but she can also be a non-Black POC.

You can have as many other students present for the classroom scenes as you have room and resources for.

Also, rural Georgia doesn’t mean all white. Never has. The case can be made for any of these girls (and Mason) to be a person of color, but certain combinations leads to stereotypes and/or commentary the playwright is not trying to make. As such:

• Nell is Black, but if at all possible, she shouldn’t be the only person of color (POC) onstage.
• Nell and Shelby shouldn’t be the only POC.
• Lee and Mr. Smith are white. Full stop. I imagine Beth is white too, given the nature of her fumbles and oversights, but she can also be a non-Black POC.