AUBURN — The solid theatrical experience and talent of several stage veterans carry the current production of “The Crucible” by Lewiston-Auburn Community Little Theatre to a pulse-pounding climax.

It’s a notable feat on the part of Director Kay Warren, who aims high in her effort to make the production a community-wide learning experience.

This 1953 work by distinguished playwright Arthur Miller (author of “Death of a Salesman”) paints a chilling picture of innocent people caught up in a web of unfounded accusations. Neighbor is set against neighbor as fear of witchcraft in 1690s Salem, Massachusetts, leads to many trials and hangings.

“The Crucible” has been seen as playwright Miller’s indictment of unrestrained anti-communist McCarthyism in the 1950s.

Director Kay Warren makes excellent use of a few veteran actors whose performances in key roles overcome some difficulties that are inevitable with a cast of 22. If there’s one particular impediment that the performers attempted to overcome, it was unfamiliarity with the style of speech in Colonial America. Miller’s script calls for proper phrasing of some difficult dialogue that’s necessarily delivered in breathless circumstances. It was not easy for the audience to understand many passages that were delivered too quickly. Nevertheless, Warren afforded important stage time to a large number of novice local actors, which is a vital role of community theater.

Act One opens with six young girls of Salem dancing around a fire in the woods. Tituba (played by Megan Guyans), a woman brought in slavery from Barbados, is performing some kind of ritual, but the gathering is broken up by the arrival of Reverend Parris (Sean Wallace). It’s an incident that enflames the villagers, who already are spreading rumors of witchcraft.

Abigail Williams (Emily Grotz) is an older teen who coerces the younger girls to stick to the story that they were merely dancing in the woods. Her performance is outstanding. Grotz is a junior theater major at the University of Southern Maine.

The villagers are split among accusers and defenders, and a large number of the townspeople are labeled as witches. Through most of the play, the fears rage out of control. The last part of the second act concentrates on the trials, and in particular, the trial of a farmer, John Proctor (well played by Stephen Brakey). He had an affair with Abigail when the girl was employed by John and his wife, Elizabeth (Rebecca Cole). Abigail accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft, and John is thrown into defense of his name and the innocence of himself and his wife.

The courtroom scenes near the end deserve special commendation for some fine performances.

Mark Hazard, a veteran of many appearances at CLT and other theaters in the area, is excellent as Deputy-Governor Danforth. He is chief officer of the court, and his prosecution of the case against Proctor is relentless.

John Blanchette, CLT’s artistic director, plays the deeply pious Judge Hathorne, and Paul Menezes, another local theatrical veteran, plays Reverend John Hale, who has come to Salem to share his expertise in demonology.

The scenes in the courtroom with Hazard, Blanchette and Menezes are enthralling as the plot moves inexorably toward the gallows for Proctor. The final scene of farewell between John and Elizabeth is heart-wrenching, as it personalizes the effect of mob mentality that had involved nearly 100 unjustly accused people.

Among numerous actors who gave good performances in supporting roles are Lucy Poland as Rebecca Nurse, Van Beckman as Thomas Putnam, Jane Mitchell as Sarah Good, and Henry Quintal as Giles Corey.

Warren emphasized in her program notes that “We cannot change our history because it is fixed, but we have the ability to learn from it and let it help frame our future.”

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 9-11, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12.

CLT is offering a discounted group rate of $10 per adult or student ticket when purchased in a block of 10 or more.

The Great Falls Performing Arts Center is at 30 Academy St., Auburn.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.laclt.com or call the Box Office at 207-783-0958.