←Recommendations of John Proctor is the Villain

A true-to-life exploration of larger than life dreams in a small town shifts subtly and hauntingly into a searing indictment of power structures: particularly those that men have over women--their lives, their dreams, their beings. Kimberly's play does what I love best--moving from the hyper-real to the intensely theatrical, causing my to immediately feel the deep sense of emotion I would experience in the theatre. An intensely powerful new voice, and a beautiful play. The world premiere should have happened years ago.

The story I needed in high school to set straight who we valorize and why in American history and the dramatic canon. A heart-wrenching and heartwarming story of girlhood and the way that it's shaped by all that is around and inside us.

Joining the chorus of readers singing the praises of this script. I was laughing and cringing in recognition, and incredibly moved by the end. Kimberly captures the rhythms of teenage girls' speech and the nuances of their relationships beautifully. Read this play, produce this play, teach this play in high school English classes instead of (or at least in conversation with) THE CRUCIBLE.

John Proctor is the Villain understands that young women are intelligent, multifaceted, and worthy of complex characterization. It tackles difficult topics like sex education, religion, sexism, and sexual assault elegantly and honestly. Theatre as a whole is grappling with how to approach material and systems that are standard/classic/canon which contain limited and often problematic points of view. How do we talk about it? This play isn't afraid to ask those necessary questions. Also, the joy and liberation in the last moment of the play? Young people dancing wildly to a Lorde song? I'm desperate for it.

This is the kind of play the world needs to be moving towards. It abandons cliché for nuance, filler for poetry, and despair for a realist hope. Belflower perfectly merges natural dialogue with rich characterizations, creating a stunning and gripping drama, all while presenting nine brilliantly relatable characters. Considering the subject, I hope it's not too ironic to say I hope this play swiftly joins the canon.

Belflower's play is a high school drama which excellently describes the familiar manner in which woman is still pitted against woman in American society, a society still haunted by its Puritanic roots, for the continued domination by men. The cracks are beginning to show, though the light shining through them remains dim. This is a hopeful story, but also realistic. There's so much work left to be done.

This script is tense, taut, humorous, dramatic, powerful, poetic, and devstating, and high schools everywhere should be producing this. Highly recommended!

I grew up a theatre kid hungry for plays that reflected my experience (and rarely found any) - what I would have given to have this play then.

In this play "the smart girl" is not an archetype - every female character is fiercely intelligent, with her own unique challenges and vulnerabilities, learning to how to harness her agency and claim power in a tumultuous climate.

I'm excited for this play to become part of the canon. I hope it empowers young audiences and challenges viewers to question the classics they know.

Not only a fabulous play but a fantastic answer to the question of what do we do about these old plays (especially "classics" and "canon") that don't quite hold up to our modern, progressive standards? (Answer: we use them as fodder for new plays that update and question the old narrative.) So great.

What an incredible play! Teenage girls can change the world. ( I hope) Wonderful use of language, rhythm- compelling, believable characters- clever use of "The Crucible". This play takes on the complexities of #MeToo in a thoughtful, meaningful way. Brava!

How did she write this play so fast? It is so of our moment and so well-built. I used to teach high school English, and hated teaching The Crucible -- wish I'd had this play to teach instead.