‘12 Angry Jurors’ @ The Core Theatre
Show photos by Autumn McNamara
—David Huner
The lights go dark. A voiceover begins, and a train is heard loudly passing by. A young man is suspected of committing first degree murder. It is up to twelve jurors to determine whether the suspect walks free—or is sentenced to death.
With a young man’s life on the line, tensions rise as the jury explores the complexities of the all-too-familiar phrase “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Is one juror’s belief enough to turn the tide?
Locking myself in a room with 12 Angry Jurors at The Core Theatre made for an enthralling evening. This adaptation (unlike the 1957 film, this jury is multi-racial and includes both men and women) is by Sherman L. Sergal, wonderfully directed by Stan Kelly, and gives us a provocative and insightful story that had me hanging on every word.
A strong lead performance by Jason Davis as Juror Eight provides an impressive backbone to the piece. Juror Eight’s precise words and powerful presence become quite literally the “voice of doubt.” David Slater gives a forceful and multifaceted performance as the antagonistic Juror Three, who for the duration of the play refuses to entertain Juror Eight’s ideas. Slater beautifully and believably brings Juror Three’s actions to life; his performance at the show’s climax is particularly moving. Other standout performances include the rational Juror Four (Scott Hickman), and the exasperated Juror Seven (Russell Johnson). Carol Kilgore plays the reserved Juror Nine, and the narrow-minded Juror Ten is portrayed by Ken Schwartz. These and the cast as a whole clearly commanded the room’s full attention throughout the piece. (Other jurors are played by Kathleen McNamara, Joseph Figueiras, Trevor Powell, Juanda Tate, Ivy Opdyke, and Dalton Glover, with Daniel White as the Guard.)
Special mention must also go to the set, designed and constructed by Core artistic director James Hansen Prince. While seeming at the outset to be only a simple room with a massive table, it grows increasingly apparent that the lack of decoration and amenities are meant to narrow the audience’s attention to the jurors’ plight. I felt as though I was being confined in the room with them—such a strong effect that I was thankful whenever the jury room’s door was opened. The costumes by Timothy Norris also deserve a shoutout. The clothes of each juror are clearly emblematic of their unique personalities.
After the performance, a question about the jury system gnawed at me. Given that we know juries are human, is it harder to accept that an innocent person might be sentenced (even to death) for a crime they didn’t commit—or harder to accept that a guilty person (even guilty of murder) could be allowed to walk away with no punishment? The phrase “beyond reasonable doubt” at its core tries to protects the innocent suspect, but sometimes at the cost of justice slipping away. The injustice of the innocent being convicted vs the guilty going free—which is the greater evil?
The conclusion this play comes to may be different from your own, but either way the story of 12 Angry Jurors certainly is thought provoking and riveting.
WHEN: August 23-September 8, 2024
WHERE: 518 W. Arapaho Road, Richardson TX
WEB: thecoretheatre.org
