Cory King, as Juror #3, right, tries to intimidate other jurors in a scene from Community Little Theatre’s upcoming production of 12 Angry Men during a recent rehearsal. Others jurors from left to right are John Blanchette, Phil Vampatella, David Moise, background, Dan Kane and Paul Menezes. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)

CLT staging psychological
drama set in jury room

AUBURN — One of the most gripping and timeless courtroom dramas of all time will open June 8 at the Community Little Theatre. Written by Reginald Rose, “12 Angry Men” was broadcast initially as a television play in 1954. The following year it was adapted for the stage and in 1957 was made into a critically acclaimed film with Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb.

“ ’12 Angry Men’ has been a favorite play of mine for a very long time,” says director Jackie McDonald. “I find the premise compelling, all of these men — some opinionated, some committed to their task, some just going through the motions — are thrown together to decide if a man will live or die and how the process of making this decision affects each of them,” she added.

Set in the 1950s, the play opens with the twelve jurors — all white men — entering the jury room to deliberate the fate of a young man who could face the death penalty. What begins as an open-and-shut case of murder soon becomes a detective story that presents a succession of clues creating doubt and a mini-drama of each of the jurors’ prejudices and preconceptions about the trial, the accused, and each other.

While 11 of the jurors are initially convinced of the defendant’s guilt, juror number eight believes he has some reasonable doubt and works to win over the other jurors. Throughout their deliberation, not a single juror calls another by his name because their names are unknown. The jurors are forced to investigate the reasons behind their rush to judgement, and the biases that they each have brought with them to the table.
 
Longtime CLT actor and director John Blanchette plays the role of juror #8, the only one who votes “not guilty” at the first vote. Unhappy with how the trial was conducted, he wants the jury to discuss the evidence in detail. Met with much opposition as he continuously brings up some reasonable doubt, he remains calm and persistent in his role of a quiet leader.

Veteran local actor Corey King plays juror #3, the lead antagonist in the play, a bully who is convinced of the defendant’s guilt. He uses his size and outsized personality to keep the other jurors voting guilty. He has no problem bullying the other jurors when they think differently from him.

Each of the remaining jurors, with their different backgrounds, preconceived beliefs and notions has an impact on the tenor and direction of the deliberations. Tempers flare as the temperature, and the stakes — rise. On stage for almost the entire play, the remaining jurors are played by Chris L’Hommedieu (foreman); Paul Menezes (#2); Bill Myers (#4); Dan Burgess #5); Sean Wallace (#6); Jason Pelletier (#7); Phil Vampatella (#9); Dan Kane (#10); Don Libby (#11); and David Moyse (#12). Jim McKinley plays the guard.

McDonald notes that the play remains very relevant today. “Most of the jurors align themselves with the others who think as they do and then the battle lines are drawn. While these jurors have no choice but to listen to each other, too many people today choose to listen and converse only with those with whom they agree, shout down any dissenting viewpoints, and miss the opportunity to hear the reasoned and thoughtful voices. The level of vitriol between some of the jurors is very close to the political climate we are experiencing today.”

McDonald is assisted by Sarah Wing, producer; Brandon Chaloux, stage manager; Kay Warren, assistant director, lighting and sound operator; Jen Groover, costumer; Dan Burgess, props master; Jim McDonald, set design; Julie McDonald, set construction lead; Richard Martin, lighting design; Sophie Wood, prompter; and Britny Anderson, set décor and sound design. 

“12 Angry Men” will be performed on June 8, 9, 14, 15, 16 at 7:30 p.m. and June 10 and 17 at 2 p.m. at the Great Falls Performing Arts Center 30 Academy St. The cast will hold a “talk-back” session for the audience immediately after the June 10 performance. Tickets, priced at $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and $12 for students, are available at the box office at 783-0958 or on CLT’s website at www.laclt.com.

— Submitted by Roger Philippon