12 Angry Jurors kicks off with a bang of the gavel as positive reviews roll in from opening night

By DEVIN SCHWERS

Staff Writer

The University of Mary Washington’s Theatre Department debuted its first show of the 2024 fall semester, “12 Angry Jurors.” The show is an adaptation of “12 Angry Men” by Reginald Rose and was adapted by Sherman L. Sergel to be more inclusive of other gender identities. 

“12 Angry Jurors” is set in New York City in the 1950s on a hot summer day and tells the story of 12 individuals deliberating on the conviction or acquittal of a young man who has been charged with the crime of murder in the first degree against his father. 

The story examines issues of prejudice, the criminal justice system and the meaning of innocence and guilt within that system.

The glaring difference between the original version and UMW’s is the choice to cast women and non-white individuals in the roles of jurors. In the original story—and in this telling—the young man on trial is a lower-class person of color. However, in the original telling, the jury assigned to his case is made entirely of white men. Because of the casting choices, the story differs from the original show and movie. However, the core theme of prejudice towards those different from oneself is still present.

“I had been previously exposed to the 1950’s movie 12 Angry Men, but I found it pretty easy to separate our production from that. […] Allowing ourselves to explore the different possibilities and not trying to tie the showdown to ‘what it should be’ or what it has been in the past was a huge factor in making a production that is unique to us, but still honors the story,” said the actor playing Juror #8, senior theatre and anthropology double major Ariana Adamek.  

Adamek was well versed in the history and iconography of the play, but felt it necessary to treat the preparation process as any other. 

“I was aware of how iconic of a role juror #8 is, and I definitely felt pressure to live up to that and do the role justice […] I found the best way to prepare for the role was to treat it like any other,” Adamek said. “It never serves the story to try and emulate someone else’s performance because it will never feel authentic for you.”

The show opened on Sept. 19 and runs through Sept. 29. Audience feedback thus far has been overwhelmingly positive, with many describing the show as one of UMW Theatre’s best in recent years. 

“It was one of the best shows I’ve seen them do. I loved it, that’s all I can say. I saw it again this weekend,” said UMW Alumna and AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer for the Center for Community Engagement, Tamara Garrett. 

Even though the entirety of the show takes place in a single room, the cast manages to make ample use of the set provided to them and does not solely rely on sitting around the table for the show’s runtime. The actor’s decisions within the space were clear and did not feel unnatural or forced.

“It is the first time I have been seated for the majority of [a] show,” said senior theatre and communication and digital studies double major and actor playing Juror #3, Blaise Wingold. “One thing that justified us getting out of our chairs was the heat. The heat is a factor that affects us on stage in the way of creating the need to shed layers and get water regularly.” 

The costumes, designed to bring the 1950s back to life in the Klein Theatre, contrasted the darker tone of the show. Actors sported blue pinstripe suits and bright long polka dot dresses to capture the cultural spirit of 1950s life on stage. 

“12 Angry Jurors” was a strong kick-off to the UMW Theatre 2024-2025 season. If this show is any indicator of what is to come, it seems the UMW Theatre Department is up for a strong season.