The Charter Arts Theatre Department continues its season of mystery and mayhem with a production of "Witches!? In Salem?!", an innovative new play by Matt Cox, November 12-16, 2025 in the Charter Arts Black Box Theater. This darkly comic, yet historically grounded take on the Salem Witch Trials is told through the eyes of an imaginative 8th grader who becomes consumed by a lesson on "The Crucible".

For this production, the department welcomes guest director, Chris Egging, to lead an exceptional student cast through a spellbinding whirlwind of humor, hysteria and history, where the lines between past and present blur revealing the timeless power of fear, rumor and belief.

Producer, Diane Wagner describes the department’s enthusiasm in selecting this piece. "We're always on the lookout for new works that will be of interest to our students. When we came across Witches!? In Salem?! it immediately resonated with the faculty. The connections to American history, "The Crucible", and the ensemble nature of the production seemed a perfect fit for us.

Wagner adds: “Matt Cox uses actual facts about the Salem Witch Trials which over time have been inextricably connected to Arthur Miller's play, and turned it on its head by framing it as a live presentation commandeered by an 8th grader. The show is sometimes zany, sometimes disturbing because of the nature of what actually happened, and at all times entertaining. If this is a topic that interests you, you won't want to miss Witches!? In Salem?!.”

Tickets are $8-$14 General Admission and can be purchased online at CharterArts.org. Witches!? In Salem?! is presented by special arrangement with Uproar Theatrics (www.Uproar Theatrics.com).

ABOUT THE CHARTER ARTS THEATRE DEPARTMENT:

The Charter Arts Theatre Department offers a pre-professional training program for high school-aged performers. The goal is to provide students with the skills they will need to move on to competitive college programs as well as professional theatre experiences.

Classes are designed to encourage students to create imaginative and compelling characters, to regard their voices and bodies as creative instruments, to expose them to theatrical literature and to instill in them a sense of respect and professionalism for the art form that will stay with them throughout their lives.

ABOUT THE LEHIGH VALLEY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS (Charter Arts):

Charter Arts is an audition-based public charter school, funded by Pennsylvania taxpayer dollars, that provides a comprehensive curriculum for high school students, grades 9-12, who have a dedicated passion for the creative or performing arts. Students major in one of seven artistic areas: Dance, Instrumental Music, Literary Arts, Production Arts (film & technical theatre), Theatre, Visual Arts, or Vocal Music.

Charter Arts' rigorous curriculum fosters both academic and artistic excellence for its students. The school’s impressive Advanced Placement (AP) exam statistics, Keystone Exam statistics, SAT scores, prestigious artistic accolades, and graduation rate, are testaments to the outstanding education that Charter Arts provides.

An award-winning, nationally recognized institution, Charter Arts is ranked #1 Best Charter High School in PA and #1 Best Public High School Teachers in PA on Niche's 2026 Best Schools in America Rankings. The school also placed among the Top 10 Charter Schools in PA on U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-26 Best Schools Rankings.

Prospective students and families who are interested in learning more about the theatre program and the school are encouraged to attend the school’s Open House event on December 6th, a Virtual Information Session, or request a tour. Visit charterarts.org for more information.

Charter Arts has been part of the Bethlehem community since its inception in 2003, and for the past decade, has been proudly rooted in the heart of Bethlehem’s Southside Arts District at 321 East 3rd Street.