The (seemingly) anti-theatrical Puritans

Although, not a proposed question in History of Performance class, I was intrigued by the conversation held in class, regarding the Puritans and their anti-theatrical beliefs. Thus, I have chosen to explore this concept in the following paragraphs.
While the Puritans will forever be remembered for their conservative, fundamental religious beliefs (along with oddly shaped hats) perhaps they are most associated with the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. I find it odd and also intriguing that a conservative, religious group which denounces the concept of theater would in fact partake in one of the most famous performances in history.
The initial onset of the Witch Trials could have played out as most trials do, with a suspect in question, a trial, and a conviction....case closed. However, the performative aspect of the Trials is in fact what led the situation to such notoriety. Women increasingly performed, outlandishly accusing each other of witchcraft. As these women performed as accusers and faithful Puritan, they pointed the finger at other women in their own society claiming they had performed Satanic acts and rituals. The men performed, in the courtroom, acting as the voice of God and the hand of fate.
Based on our knowledge of how the Trials of 1692 progressed, I imagine every member of society attended the trials. I imagine the courtroom was packed and order was hard to maintain amongst the sounds of screaming condemned women, angry shouting men, gavels pounding, and audience members verbally and nonverbally reacting. If the Trials did unfold, as I imagine them to have, the Salem Witch Trials were a clear example of a performance in play.
This also leads me to wonder if the trials became so sensationalized and chaotic, not only due to fear in the community, but also due to the extreme restriction of theater in the community. Theater creates drama, interest, and passion, it distracts from the mundane aspects of every day life. Perhaps the Puritans lacked these elements and the result was a subconscious desire for theatrical qualities in life. This is not to say the cause of the Trials was due to a lack of theater in life, rather proposes future analysis regarding the effects imposed on a theater-less community and role it may play in one of the most famous, and horrific events in American culture.