As excitement for the spring play, “Poor Clare,” builds, the Goshen College theater department mourns the loss of their original play, “John Proctor is the Villain.”

“John Proctor is the Villain” was picked up in July of 2025 by Universal Studios for rights to a movie adaptation. Since this legal development, the rights to the play are no longer available for purchase at college campuses.

“John Proctor” was recommended to Amy Budd, associate theater professor and director, last year by theater students who participated in a weekly play read. One of these attenders was Mairin Mendoza, a senior theater major. 

Mendoza remembers the night the group read “John Proctor” for the first time.“‘John Proctor’ was one that we read back in January, and we had brought it to Amy and we were like ‘we have to do this play,’” she said.

After reading “John Proctor” herself, Budd decided that it was the right move for GC theater. “It was very much on people’s radar … and the students thought it was really relevant,” she said. 

With the play’s interwoven themes of feminism and imbalanced power dynamics, this school year seemed like the right time to put on the production.

In hopes of not incurring a heavy playwright expense from royalties until the new fiscal year, Budd chose to not apply for rights to “John Proctor” until July of 2025, coinciding with its rights being picked up for the on-screen adaptation.

The morning after putting in her application for the rights, Budd received an email that “John Proctor” had been optioned by Universal Studios on July 18, “and so, my heart sank,” she said.

Despite announcing that “John Proctor” was the plan for GC’s spring play of 2026, Budd was unable to secure the rights for the theater department, along with many other colleges across the country. The final college performances occurred Nov. 21-23, one college being the University of Notre Dame.

“They were scheduled for November and we were scheduled for spring, so it might be that,” said Budd. SheBudd believed that “they were able to apply for rights further in advance and had a handle on things before we did.”

When applying for “John Proctor”, Budd said she was nervous she would be unable to get the rights. At the time of the application window, the play was still performing on Broadway. Wary of the rights going sideways, Budd contacted the Dramaticist Play Service to confirm that

she would still be able to purchase this play for GC. Budd recalled their conversation when she

first reached out to DPS. “I said ‘They just extended on Broadway, am I in danger of not getting

rights to this?’ And a customer service rep said ‘No, it should be okay.’”

Though the rights had not been confirmed for GC theater, Budd started reaching out to

the community to let them know of her decision on “John Proctor”. “Students were really dying to know and I was glad they were excited and invested.”

Mendoza expressed her deep disappointment in the loss of this highly anticipated play. “I feel like it has a good message, the show does. So when it got taken from us, I was just like, ‘what am I gonna do next yYear?’”

Budd and Mendoza both said that while many playwrights and musicals can be brought to life through an onscreen adaptation, “John Proctor”  “is a story that does not translate well on screen… it should stay for the stage,” said Mendoza. 

“By its very nature, a movie is fixed in time with one set of bodies and faces telling the story, “ Budd said, “it’s not the same as those people… living, breathing in the same  room as you.” 

Mendoza said, “I think it’s hard to capture the big emotions onto… a smaller screen or just a smaller scale.”

In the end, GC was never able to secure the rights for “John Proctor” and had to press on to find something new for the spring play. GC’s upcoming play, “Poor Clare,”, a modern spin on the medieval story of Saint Clare of Assisi, will be performed Spring of 2026.