Chiara Aurelia to join ‘John Proctor Is the Villain’ Broadway cast
The Cruel Summer actress will make her Broadway debut in the critically acclaimed play by Kimberly Belflower, now running at the Booth Theatre through August 31.
Welcome to the coven! Chiara Aurelia will make her Broadway debut in John Proctor Is the Villain, replacing Tony Award nominee Sadie Sink in the play at the Booth Theatre from July 15 through the show’s August 31 closing.
Aurelia is best known for starring as Jeanette Turner in the Freeform series Cruel Summer, as well as for roles in the films Gerald’s Game and Back Roads. She is currently making her Off-Broadway debut in Dilaria at the DR2 Theatre.
In John Proctor Is the Villain, she will step into the role of Shelby Holcomb, originated by Sink (Stranger Things), who will play her final performance July 13 as previously announced.
The John Proctor Is the Villain Broadway cast also includes Nihar Duvvuri as Mason Adams, 2025 Tony nominee Gabriel Ebert as Carter Smith, Molly Griggs as Bailey Gallagher, Maggie Kuntz as Ivy Watkins, Hagan Oliveras as Lee Turner, Morgan Scott as Nell Shaw, 2025 Tony nominee Fina Strazza as Beth Powell, and Amalia Yoo as Raelynn Nix.
Written by Kimberly Belflower and directed by Tony winner Danya Taymor (The Outsiders), John Proctor Is the Villain takes place in a rural Georgia high school, where five teenage girls’ unit on The Crucible in class coincides with the emergence of local sexual assault scandals, making them rethink who their heroes and villains are and helping them find their voice as they decide.
John Proctor Is the Villain is the most Tony-nominated play of 2025, earning seven nominations, including for Best Play. Read our John Proctor Is the Villain review.
Photo credit: Chiara Aurelia. (Photo by Emma Beiles)
Frequently asked questions
How do you book tickets for John Proctor Is the Villain?
Book tickets for John Proctor Is the Villain on New York Theatre Guide.
Where is John Proctor Is the Villain playing?
John Proctor Is the Villain is playing at Booth Theatre. The theatre is located at 222 West 45th Street, New York, 10036.
What's the age requirement for John Proctor Is the Villain?
The recommended age for John Proctor Is the Villain is Ages 12+..
How long is John Proctor Is the Villain?
The running time of John Proctor Is the Villain is 1hr 45min. No intermission.
What is John Proctor Is the Villain about?
John Proctor is the Villain is a new, seven-time Tony Award-nominated comedy that flips the script on the American classic, The Crucible. In a Georgia school reading Arthur Miller’s masterpiece, students debate whether John Proctor is the hero he’s long been heralded as.
Who directed John Proctor is the Villain?
Danya Taymor, a Tony winner for The Outsiders and also known for directing Heroes of the Fourth Turning, stages this new play.
Who wrote John Proctor is the Villain?
Kimberly Belflower, a rising playwright from the Appalachia region, wrote this play, marking her Broadway debut.
Is John Proctor is the Villain good?
The play received glowing reviews in Boston and Washington, DC, where it had productions that led it to Broadway. The Washington Post said, "Not only has Kimberly Belflower ingeniously set up nuanced resonances with America’s broader civic zeitgeist, she has also written a touching, and sometimes hilarious, portrait of bracingly specific 21st-century young people."
What is the age recommendation for John Proctor is the Villain?
The show has some adult themes, so it is recommended for ages 12 and up.
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