Lee Theatre to perform “12 Angry Jurors”
After six days in court, 12 jurors go to the jury room to deliberate. They must decide the guilt or innocence of a troubled teenager accused of killing his father. With an overwhelming amount of evidence stacked against the boy, it looks like an open-and-shut case. The jurors take a vote - eleven hands up for guilty, one hand up for not guilty. The men review the case, emotions and prejudices come out, arguments erupt, and a verdict is finally reached.
This classic story is “12 Angry Jurors,” and it will be performed by Lee Theatre this November.
Photo courtesy of Lee Theatre
Adapted by Sherman L. Sergel, the play originates from the 1954 teleplay, “12 Angry Men,” written by Reginald Rose. The story was then adapted for film in 1957. The film adaptation is widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, ranking 87 on the American Film Institutes 100 years, 100 movies list.
Part of the draw of “12 Angry Jurors” lies in its uniqueness. It is a one-act, 90-minute play, set in one room. All principal cast members enter the stage at the beginning, and do not leave until the end.
Senior theatre major Holly Shimmel is playing the protagonist, Juror #8. Her character is the first juror to vote not guilty. For Shimmel, being on stage throughout the entire performance is both convenient and challenging.
“There's no costume changes. There's no having to rush around backstage in the dark; there's nothing like that. I think the challenge of it, which is a really exciting challenge, is that all eyes are on you the entire time. You get no breaks,” Shimmel said.
Furthermore, the play is a true ensemble piece, with no single main character. All twelve jurors have their own distinct backgrounds and personalities, all working together to drive the plot forward. Thus, rehearsals have involved a lot of creative collaboration between cast and director.
Junior theatre and cinema major Tanner Jennings is playing secondary protagonist, Juror #10. Jennings enjoys the collaborative atmosphere of the show.
“You get a lot of time with everyone in the cast, and you get a chance to get to know people and build a team. You're not just a group of people working on a show. You really are a team together. I think that's one of the beautiful aspects of this type of theater,” Jennings said.
More intimate than most plays, “12 Angry Jurors” lends itself to an immersive style. The seating arrangement will be used to reflect that. The show will be staged with alley-style seating, with a runway in the middle and audience members sitting on either side.
Associate Professor of Theatre Arts Anna Marie Brendel is directing the production. She wants to use this nontraditional approach to invite the audience into the action.
“My hope is that an audience member could easily look into the eyes of someone who's on stage going through the action, but could just as easily look beyond the action and look into the eyes of another audience member at the same time, to encapsulate this idea of feeling like you're a part of the ethics and moral dilemma surrounding the case,” Brendel said.
Though the play was originally written in the 1950s, its message and themes are timeless.
“Don't just assume. Don't jump on the bandwagon. Take a moment to think critically about the things that you encounter and the things you see in the world around you,” Jennings said.
Come and watch twelve ordinary citizens become “12 Angry Jurors” in one of theatre’s most celebrated legal dramas. Lee Theatre will perform “12 Angry Jurors” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7 and 8, and 13-15, in the Buzz Oates Blackbox Theater in Lee University's Communication Arts Building. Tickets are available online and in person at the Lee Theatre Box Office located in the Communication Arts Building.
