In 1692 Salem, “truth” was often determined by the loudest accusations.

Presser Arts Center’s fall production will be an adaptation of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” performed in the Stribling Black Box Theatre Oct. 2-4 and Oct. 9-11. 

“The Crucible,” written 1953, is a four-act play set in 1692 during the Salem witch trials. 

The play’s director, Rob Dalton, a retired English teacher who once taught “The Crucible” in its entirety, said the story serves as an allegory for McCarthyism, which was prevalent in the 1950s.

“People were having to go before tribunals or judges and they were being accused of being a communist,” he said. “Often all it took was that accusation and they were losing their jobs, livelihoods were being thrown out the door, people were having to move and everybody was just about blacklisted.”

Dalton said that while he can’t educate the public about that aspect of “The Crucible,” everybody knows the Salem witch trials.

The adaptation that will be presented to theatergoers this October explores what happens when mob mentality and greed collide.

After a group of young girls is caught dancing in the forest with a slave named Tituba by local minister Rev. Samuel Parris, one of the girls falls mysteriously ill. 

Accusations of witchcraft begin to emerge, as does a second plotline in which John Proctor, a local farmer, has engaged in an affair with one of the girls, Abigail Williams. Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth Proctor, is aware of the affair.

“What is Abigail Williams willing to do to get John Proctor?” Dalton said.

In a patriarchal society governed by theocracy, Dalton said women, particularly young girls, were the lowest in society.

“In this instance, we have girls jangling the keys to the kingdom because they’re the ones who start calling people ‘witch,’ and now they’re being paid attention to,” Dalton said. “It’s like they’re the puppet master.”

This year’s chilling fall play was suggested by Dalton in a directors’ meeting. He said he knew it was going to be different from the big “money makers” like Frozen and Willy Wonka that draw in kids, but was inspired by last year’s production of To Kill a Mockingbird.

“That took some chutzpah to do and I said, ‘If we can do Mockingbird, we can do anything,’” Dalton added.

For more information about “The Crucible,” including showtimes and tickets, visit Presser Arts Center’s website at presserpac.com.