The Jury Foreman (Juror No. 1), played by Dallas Maddox, holds back Juror No. 3, played by Megan Woodfield, from attacking Juror No. 8, played by Katlyn Weve, during the end of the second act of CCC's production of "Twelve Angry Jurors." The 90-minute, three-act play runs Wednesday through Saturday with performances at 7:30 p.m. each evening. Admission is free.
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Guilty or not guilty? That really isn’t the question when “Twelve Angry Jurors” take to the stage at CCC to decide the fate of an accused killer. Essentially at stake is a person’s right to be heard, without pre-judgment and prejudice.
Performance dates for this powerful three-act play – which is also staged as “Twelve Angry Men” or “Twelve Angry Women” – are Feb. 25-28 in the Spencer/Rounds Performing Arts Theatre. Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. and there is no admission charge.
At first, a single juror (No. 8, played by sophomore Katlyn Weve of Wichita), fights alone for the 19-year-old defendant.
“Do you really believe he’s not guilty?” asks Juror No. 3 (played by sophomore Megan Woodfield from Salina).
“I don’t know,” answers Juror No. 8. “I don’t believe it’s as simple as A, B, C.”
The script for “Twelve Angry Men,” written in 1954 by Reginald Rose as a teleplay and adapted for the stage by Sherman L. Sergel, holds up well 60 years later, said Allen Twitchell, director, who also plays Juror No. 9.
“Who knows who’s guilty or innocent anymore?” he asked. “Regardless, this is America, and we are all, each one of us, entitled to due process. That’s the stand Juror No. 8 takes, when other jurors try to deprive the defendant of that.”
A memorable movie version of “Twelve Angry Men,” starring Henry Fonda, was released in 1957 and remade in 1997.
Also in the cast are Dallas Maddox, sophomore from Silver Lake, as Juror No. 1 (the Foreman); Heather Hoffmann, sophomore from Moundridge, as Juror No. 2; Natalie Martinez, sophomore from Sublette, as Juror No. 4; Amy Adams, freshman from Delaware, Okla., as Juror No. 5; Ricky Pugh, sophomore from Coffeyville, as Juror No. 6; Chace Owen, freshman from Caney, as Juror No. 7; Kylie Smith, sophomore from Gardner, as Juror No. 10; Chelsie Burroughs, freshman from Coffeyville, as Juror No. 11; Sara Lumm, sophomore from Parsons, as Juror No. 12; and Linelle Wilson, sophomore from Kansas City, Kan., as the Guard and the voice of the Judge.
“We have a terrific cast,” said Twitchell, “and that should translate into a terrific show.”