“JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN” WELCOMES 750 NYC PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO A SPECIAL STUDENT MATINEE TOMORROW
Press Contact:
Rick Miramontez / Marie Bshara / Ellie Detweiler / Shea McGovern
rick@omdkc.com / marie@omdkc.com / ellie@omdkc.com / shea@omdkc.com
212 695 7400
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE
“JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN”
STARRING SADIE SINK
TO HOST SPECIAL
STUDENT MATINEE
FOR 750 NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLERS
TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2
New York, NY (April 1, 2025) – In partnership with the Department of Education, JanSport and Dunkin’, producers Sue Wagner, John Johnson, John Mara Jr., Runyonland, and Eric Falkenstein are thrilled to welcome 750 public high school students from 25 schools in the greater New York City area to John Proctor is the Villain, the new play by Kimberly Belflower and starring Sadie Sink, for a special student matinee tomorrow, Wednesday, April 2 at the Booth Theatre (222 W 45th St).
“John Proctor is the Villain spilled out of me in a trance where I connected to my teenage self,” said playwright Kimberly Belflower. “Tomorrow, when we do this show for 750 New York area public high school students, it will be one of the most thrilling performances in the history of this play, and to witness it will be a highlight of my life. I owe my entire career as a playwright to the teachers and student matinees that first introduced me to theatre. For this play, which is based on my own small town high school, to reach this number of students is so moving to me I can hardly think about it without crying. This performance will undoubtedly be the most punk rock event on Broadway.”
“We are so appreciative that the producers of John Proctor is the Villain have partnered with our NYC Public Schools Arts Office to engage the 750 high school students by bringing new life and innovation to Arthur Miller’s The Crucible on Broadway,” shared NYC Public Schools Director of Theater Peter Avery. “Beyond experiencing a truly NYC cultural experience of theater on Broadway, our students have the opportunity to learn dynamically about the core educational skills of interpretation, point of view, performance, and reflection through literature and theater.”
Performances for John Proctor is the Villain, with direction by Tony Award® winner Danya Taymor, began on Broadway on Thursday, March 20, ahead of a Monday, April 14 opening night.
John Proctor is the Villain stars Sadie Sink as ‘Shelby Holcomb’. She is joined by Nihar Duvvuri (Romeo + Juliet) as ‘Mason Adams,’ Tony Award winner Gabriel Ebert (Matilda) as ‘Carter Smith,’ Molly Griggs (Hello, Dolly!) as ‘Bailey Gallagher,’ Maggie Kuntz (The Outsiders) as ‘Ivy Watkins,’ Hagan Oliveras (Our Town) as ‘Lee Turner,’ Morgan Scott (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding) as ‘Nell Shaw,’ Fina Strazza (Matilda) as ‘Beth Powell,’ and Amalia Yoo (No Hard Feelings) as ‘Raelynn Nix.’ Understudies are Noah Pacht, Fiona Robberson, Shian Tomlinson, Garrett Young, and Victoria Vourkoutiotis.
In John Proctor is the Villain, five young women – fueled by pop music, optimism, and fury – clash with their school, their Georgia town, and the stories they’ve been instructed to believe. As their class dissects The Crucible, they begin to question who we deem heroic, who we call a villain, and who gets burned in the process. With biting humor and a beating heart, this explosive new play – “one of the most anticipated of the season” (The New York Times) – shines a blazing spotlight on the eternal fight to claim your own narrative in a world that’s still stuck in the past.
The creative team for John Proctor is the Villain includes scenography by AMP featuring Teresa L. Williams; costume design by Sarah Laux; lighting design by Natasha Katz; sound design and original composition by Palmer Hefferan; projection design by Hannah Wasileski; hair & makeup design by J. Jared Janas; movement direction by Tilly Evans-Krueger; intimacy coordination by Ann James; voice, text and dialect coaching by Gigi Buffington; dramaturgy by Lauren Halvorsen; production stage management by Kamra A. Jacobs; and casting by Taylor Williams.
Tickets are available for purchase at www.johnproctoristhevillain.com and Telecharge at www.telecharge.com, or by calling 212-239-6200 or 800-447-7400.
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