The Newnan Theatre Company is bringing a classic courtroom drama to the stage on Feb. 26 when “Twelve Angry Men” by Reginald Rose opens for a two-weekend run.
The show is directed by NTC veteran Jeff Allen, who has a special vision for this show. “It’s more than just a legal drama,” Allen said. “This play is a great exploration of the way 12 men deliberate and debate. These actors have created some very wonderful, very detailed characters and we get to see those interactions. There will be members of this jury that you recognize, and maybe even relate to personally.”
Rose’s drama was originally written as a teleplay for the early CBS television show “Studio One,” a show that specialized in live drama. The telecast was so successful that director Sidney Lumet was approached to make a theatrical film of the script. It is this film, starring Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, and Jack Klugman, that is most widely known.
The story revolves around a jury of 12 men, charged with deciding the guilt or innocence of a young Hispanic man on trial for the murder of his father. What seems to be a cut-and-dried case of murder, however, might not be so easy once the facts are under debate in the jury room.
When the deliberations begin, testimonies of witnesses come under intense scrutiny, personal prejudices and family crises weigh on opinions, and courage and determination must stand up to many challenges before the verdict is agreed upon. A man’s life hangs in the balance, and that is no small thing.
“Even though this show was written in the 1950’s, it still rings true,” Allen said. “Some things in a courtroom may be more modern, but at the conclusion of every trial, 12 people enter a jury room, weigh all the evidence presented to them, and decide on a verdict. This is one of the things that make the American legal system great. Impartial peers judge the guilt or innocence of the accused.”
Twelve Angry Men opens Thursday, Feb. 26, at 8 p.m. and runs thru Sunday, March 8. Show times are 8 p.m. on Thursday – Saturday, with the box office opening at 7 pm.
Both Sunday performances begin at 3 p.m., with the box office opening at 2 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.newnantheatre.org or by phone at 770-683-6282.
