To end the year with a bang, the drama class will perform the play Twelve Angry Jurors, written by Sherman L. Sergel. The show will be presented in Ground Zero, May 13 at 7 p.m. and May 14 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
In the play, twelve jurors discuss the verdict of a boy who is accused of murdering his father. Although one juror, played by junior Kendall Wheeler, stands alone in belief of the boy’s innocence, she refuses to send the boy off to conviction without discussing the doubt.
She strives to convince her fellow jurors that the boy is innocent as tempers flare and the jurors’ personalities are revealed.
According to drama instructor Brianne Vogt, the preparation has been smooth, but the play demands responsibility from the students.
“This has been one of the smoothest preparations for a show since I’ve been here,” Vogt said. “I think the main struggle that this play presents is the format of the dialogue. The show is one long conversation. Actors don’t have the benefit of the action being broken into scenes that deal with one issue at a time; it all kind of just happens.”
Twelve Angry Jurors is based on the original play Twelve Angry Men, written by Reginald Rose. Vogt decided to use this adaption because the drama class consists of both girls and boys.
When she was in high school, Vogt participated in the same play. In view of the challenges she faced as an actress through the process, she selected Twelve Angry Jurors for the class, hoping that the students would grow in their acting abilities.
“Being in the show was one of the biggest growing experiences in high school,” Vogt said. “I wanted to provide students with the same opportunity to be stretched. I’ve been pleased with how the students have embraced their roles.”
Due to the unconventional setup of twelve people sitting around a table, the play calls for an unusual set. Instead of performing onstage, Vogt chose to display the show on the floor of Ground Zero for the audience to get a close view.
“In order to offer a more complete view of the proceedings, I’ve chosen to have the audience set up in a horse-shoe shape around the action,” Vogt said. “It is a modified ‘theatre-in-the-round’ set up and affords the most comfortable option for both the actors in executing their roles and the audience in enjoying the production.”
As Juror Eleven, freshman Kyle Hudecek feels prepared for the performance and has enjoyed the storyline. With a setup different from what the class is used to, he believes that the adjustments will allow his fellow students to stretch their abilities.
“I feel pretty prepared, I think that we pretty much got the play down,” Hudecek said. “It’s a pretty fun play, I enjoyed it when we first got the script. I think that the play will make people better actors as to not depend on props.”
For senior Bridget Teixeira, this performance holds significance, as it is her last one in high school drama. Teixeira believes that the play is not only a learning experience, but also a chance to bond with the class before graduating.
“As my last play, it’s the most fun by far, and that’s mainly because I’ve bonded with everyone before leaving,” Texiera said. “We have lots of inside jokes and as the last play, the fact that we are all on stage the entire time has given me the opportunity to bond.”
According to Vogt, Twelve Angry Jurors will be a product to be proud of, despite the stresses of preparation.
“I think the finished product is going to be something that both the students and I can be proud of and that audiences with enjoy watching,” Vogt said. “The students have put a lot of hard work into this show and I’m pleased with the progress they are making. I think it will be an enjoyable and thought provoking evening.”
Tickets will be sold at the door. Admission for the evening performances is $3 for FC staff and students, $4 for seniors and non-FC students with ID and $5 for general admission. For the matinee show, admission is $2 for FC staff and students, $3 for seniors and non-FC students with ID and $4 for general admission.
For more information on drama productions, read the November 22, 2010 article, Drama to present ‘A Christmas Carol’.
