The audience will be limited to 100 people for the Emporia High School Theatre Department’s performance of “12 Angry Jurors.”
“I would definitely have people call and reserve because we’re doing something a little different, so seating is limited,” said Amanda Stice, theatre director and teacher at EHS.
Performances will begin at 7 p.m. on April 9 and 10 in the EHS auditorium. Reservations can be made at a cost of $5 per ticket for the first 100 people who call 341-2365 to reserve a spot.
“We’re going to be setting people on the stage,” Stice explained. “They’ll be right on stage with the cast members. ... We can hold about 100 people at a time.”
The seating arrangement will be a new experience for the actors and is intended to give the audience the feeling of being in the jury room with the 12 angry jurors.
“We’ve basically turned our stage into a thrust stage, so audience members will be sitting on three sides of the action instead of just one,” Stice said.
Actors are learning to play to three different areas of the stage instead of into a large audience area.
“It’s extremely difficult,” Stice said. “I didn’t realize how difficult it was going to be until we got into it, but the kids are doing an amazing job.”
None of the jurors has a name; each is known only by a juror number.
“So it makes it 10 times more confusing, trying to remember the numbers, the personalities,” she said.
Despite the challenges of the format, Stice said the youngsters are totally committed to the presentation.
“They’re doing phenomenal,” she said. “I’m very, very proud of the show.”
The cast for “12 Angry Jurors” is made up of: Drew Surmeier, foreman; Claudia Jaimes, Juror No. 2; Adam Helmer, Juror No. 3; Sarah Coulson, Juror No. 4; Ashley Glover, Juror No. 5; Caitlin Flood, Juror No. 6; Jamie S chmidt, Juror No. 7; Delano Mendoza, Juror No. 8; Taylor Mayers, Juror No. 9; Tagan Trahoon, No. 10; Madeline Huerta, Juror No. 11; Grant Saylor-Perkins, Juror No. 12; Dylan Sherwood, guard.
The crew will be: Marah Carney, stage manager, and Jessie Olsen, lights.
justthefacts (anonymous) says...
Always thought the name of the play was "Twelve Angry Men" but maybe that was another one. Was a great old movie though.
April 3, 2009 at 11:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
glarson (anonymous) says...
justthefacts,
The original was 12 Angry Men. Nowadays, however, women serve on juries, so changing it to 12 Angry Jurors allows women/girls to be in the cast.
Gwen Larson
April 4, 2009 at 6:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )