About this show

A wry, innovative reckoning with the legacy of the Salem witch trials from one of America’s foremost playwrights, Sarah Ruhl.

Becky Nurse is an outspoken, sharp-witted tour guide at the Salem Museum of Witchcraft who’s just trying to get by in post-Obama America. She’s also the descendant of Rebecca Nurse, who was infamously executed for witchcraft in 1692—but things have changed for women since then…haven’t they? After losing her job for calling out The Crucible in front of schoolkids, Becky visits a local witch for help. One spell leads to another, and then everything really goes off the rails. A darkly comic play about a woman coming to terms with her family’s legacy and finding her voice in the “lock her up” era.

The Artists

PLAYWRIGHT: SARAH RUHL

DIRECTOR: POLLY NOONAN

SET DESIGN: JACK MAGAW

COSTUMES: JESSICA GOWENS

LIGHTING: CHRISTINE BINDER

PROPS: MARIAH BENNETT

SOUND: ANDRE PLUSS

DIALECT COACH: EVA BRENEMAN

FIGHT/INTIMACY: GABY LABOTKA

STAGE MANAGER: TINA JACH

PRODUCTION MANAGER: JULIE JACHYM

Content advisory

This production includes the following: Mature/Adult themes, Drug Abuse, Mentions of Death, Torture, Strong Language, Fog, Loud Sounds, and Flashing Lights

DIGITAL PROGRAM

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

DISCOUNTS

Our waived ticket program makes SGT accessible to all economic backgrounds. Find the right ticket for you.

Accessible Performances

Audio-Described and Touch Tour:
Friday, November 8th at 8pm 
(6:45pm touch tour, 8pm curtain)

Open-Captioned Public Performance:
Sunday, November 10th at 3pm

FEATURED ENSEMBLE MEMBERS

LINDA REITER, REBECCA JORDAN, and

ADAM SCHULMERICH

THE CAST

BECKY NURSE: Linda Reiter

BOB: Ramón Camín

GAIL: Isabella Maria Valdés

STAN: Diego Rivera-Rodriguez

A WITCH: Rebecca Jordan

SHELBY: Hilary Williams

THE JAILER: Adam Schulmerich

Running Time

This production runs at about 120 minutes with a 10-minute intermission.


  • Polly Noonan was most recently seen at the Goodman Theatre in Passion Play: a cycle in three parts. Polly has worked on Sarah Ruhl’s plays for ten years, including the premieres of Dead Man’s Cell Phone (Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Helen Hayes nomination), Passion Play: a cycle in three parts (Arena Stage, Helen Hayes nomination), Eurydice (Madison Rep), Melancholy Play and Orlando (Piven Theatre Workshop). Other credits include: Eurydice, Brilliant Traces and American Voices (Piven Theatre Workshop); Orlando (Actors’ Gang); Melancholy Play (the Echo), Methusalem and Accidental Death of An Anarchist (New Criminals); and new works at Sundance, the Geva Theatre Center, New Dramatists, Soho Rep, REDCAT and Playwrights Horizons. Polly was a member of the Piven Theatre Workshop’s Young People’s Company and a founding member of the New Criminals. She attended Vassar College and SAIC. Polly first worked at Steppenwolf as part of the New Plays Lab, where she directed the workshop and the premiere of Goodbye Stranger by Carrie Luft. Film credits include: Novocaine, High Fidelity, Arizona Dream and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. If you like music, check her out on the cover of the Lemonhead’s album It’s a Shame About Ray or listen to her random phone message (track 11) on Lovey. She lives in New York City.

Ruhl’s spiky heroine and her small but sweet circle of loved ones won me over in this supernaturally tinged family drama

—The Chicago Reader, Reader Recommended

you’ll realize how masterfully Sarah Ruhl

intertwines so many hot button issues

—Buzz Center Stage

a showcase worthy of Reiter’s formidable skills - Reiter’s powers have only grown over the decades.

—Chicago Sun-Times

 a cool piece of acting on hand from relative newcomer Valdés

—Chicago Tribune

weird and wonderful play with a whole lot of heart

—Stage and Cinema

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