As director Brant Pope watched two actors practicing a scene from the latest School of Theatre production, The Crucible, it was almost impossible for him not to draw parallels to America's New War, Operation Enduring Freedom.

Fear is an emotion we can all relate to, Pope said.

That is why, in his opinion, The Crucible — which is onstage today through Nov. 17 at The Pavilion Theatre — is such an important piece.

The most widely produced play in American history, The Crucible is the story of a husband and his wife, the town they live in, Salem, and the witch-trials that it has become notorious for, the trials that condemned 25 women to death in the spring of 1692.

But more haunting for Pope and the actors who have been cast as citizens of Salem are echoes of present day reality in a script that is set in such a far-off time and the larger picture that the script paints of human nature.

"The play is a metaphor for something that is embedded in human nature," said Pope.

"A number of motives can be concealed by patriotism and piety," Pope added, with an ominous tone behind his words.

As more and more American flags pop up in the windows of cars and homes, sway on the steps of businesses and appear on the corners of television broadcasts, Pope's statement stands out to some.

In The Crucible, playwright Arthur Miller strayed from a formula that fits much of his work. This play, Pope said, unlike Miller's other work, is not placed in a specific American concept.

In The Crucible, the central question Miller asks, in the eyes of director Pope, is universal and timeless: "What is the right way to live in the world, by what ethical standards does one define himself?"

Pope believes that a play should be an assessment of feeling, rather than just a depiction of characters.

"If we uncover the real motives in Salem, then we can see contemporary strife," Pope said.

Brian Caplan (graduate-theatre arts), who plays John Proctor, talked about some of the fears that The Crucible, in conjunction with current events, unearthed in his mind.

"It's in my dreams and daily life. Would I be willing to go to war? Would I be prepared to die?" Caplan said.

These are only two of many questions that have been running through Caplan's mind since he has been cast in The Crucible as husband to Elizabeth Proctor, who is accused of witchcraft because of his character's infidelity.

The journey that his character takes compelled him to the script. "What does it take for a human to sacrifice his life?" said Caplan, throwing out another question that is not very easily answered.

Both Caplan and Juliet Anastasia Hicks (graduate-theatre arts), who plays Elizabeth Proctor, connect most with the raw human emotions that their characters struggle with, struggles that they believe all of us, regardless of age, sex or religion can identify with.

"He's trying the best that he can, he doesn't claim to know everything, and he doesn't claim to be prolific. He follows his heart and sense of truth," Caplan said of John Proctor.

Hicks is reminded of a sense of betrayal as she puts on the long, dark garments of Elizabeth Proctor.

"I've shut off and become cold to protect myself," Hicks said, remembering that she too has gone through the emotions that motivate Elizabeth Proctor.

As each actor reflected on the motives of their characters and as the director mused about human nature, one word seemed to stick out from the rest — fear.

It is a word that the 25 women who were burned at the stake in Salem could probably tell us a lot about.

It is a word that Penn State student and president of the Muslim Student Association, Zubair Malik could also probably tell us a lot about.

After the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, Malik said that he and his friends felt uncomfortable as they walked across campus. They received looks from passers-by that Malik perceived as distrustful, directly related to the Sept. 11 attacks on America, and too obvious to be ignored.

Pope sees problems like this not ending soon.

"The play is not a parable. It's larger than life. It will happen again," Pope said.