Chiara Aurelia Will Step Into JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN, Taking Over From Sadie Sink

It’s a crucible summer. Chiara Aurelia will step into the role of Shelby Holcomb in John Proctor is the Villain starting July 15. She is taking over for Tony Award nominee Sadie Sink, who will depart from the production on July 13. 

Aurelia is best known for starring as Jeanette Turner in the freeform series in Cruel Summer. The show received the highest ratings of any original series in the history of the platform. Starting June 18, she will perform Off-Broadway for eight weeks in Dilaria, a new play by Julia Randall.  and Luckiest Girl Alive. She has also previously played Young Ani in Netflix’s Luckiest Girl Alive, and Jordy in Peacock’s Hysteria. 

In John Proctor is the Villain, five young women – fueled by pop music, optimism, and fury – clash with their school, their Georgia town, and the stories they've been instructed to believe. As their class dissects The Crucible, they begin to question who we deem heroic, who we call a villain, and who gets burned in the process. With biting humor and a beating heart, this explosive new play shines a blazing spotlight on the eternal fight to claim your own narrative in a world that’s still stuck in the past. The production opened this spring at the Booth Theatre after wonderful productions at Studio Theatre and The Huntington Theatre. 

The company currently includes Nihar Duvvuri as Mason Adams, Gabriel Ebert as Carter Smith, Molly Griggs as Bailey Gallagher, Maggie Kuntz at Ivy Watkins, Hagan Oliveras as Lee Turner, Morgan Scott as Nell Shaw, Fina Strazza as Beth Powell, and Amalia Yoo as Raelynn Niz. Noah Pacht, Fiona Robberson, Shian Tomlinson, Garrett Young, and Victoria Vourkoutiotis serve as understudies.  

The play was nominated for seven Tony Awards in 2025, including one for Sink for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play. 

John Proctor is the Villain will play at the Booth Theatre through Aug. 31, extended from its original run due to popular demand. For tickets and more information, visit here.