TeenTix reviews KCRep’s John Proctor Is the Villain where the baddies are in plain view

Photo by Don Ipock

TeenTix KC is an organization that helps provide KC youth with access to live stage performances. As part of that work, some up-and-coming  ‘Press Corps Members’ are tackling their first reviews—building up a next generation of critical, celebratory voices. Today, we’re thrilled to share Keeley Ferguson’s coverage of KCRep’s John Proctor Is the Villain. Find out more about TeenTix here.

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.

Set in a one-stoplight (soon-to-be two) town, every scene in John Proctor Is the Villain builds tension, making the crowd hold its 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 the club would work if it included some male students. 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, was my favorite character for several 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 deeper meaning than the words suggest, so I 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 you can get a second ticket for $5 if you want to bring a parent or friend. If you aren’t already a TeenTix KC member, you can sign up for free online,