Play Preview of Twelve Angry Jurors

This fall, Casady Theatre put on an amazing production of Little Shop of Horrors.  Now it’s time for Twelve Angry Jurors, a classic play about a homicide case written by Reginald Rose. I sat down with Mr. Dema to ask him some questions about the play.According to Mr. Dema, this play is “a gripping drama” that takes place in the 1950s. Twelve jurors are faced with the task of deciding whether or not a teenager is guilty of homicide or not. Prejudice and personal issues come to the surface as one juror tries to convince the rest of the jurors that the accused is innocent and does not deserve the death penalty. Unlike any past productions, this unique play is set entirely in one room and in real time. This means that most cast members will be on stage for the entirety of the play, requiring some resilient actors. However, the audience will find that the play can be lighthearted, as witty humor woven into the play promises to entertain.With only thirteen roles, the cast is historically smaller than past plays. Some seasoned seniors will be returning for their last production, including Kaili Nguyen (‘19), Timothy Bryer-Ash (‘19), and Kate Williams (‘19). However, this will be the first Casady play for Sydney Sofola (‘21) and Olivia Biggerstaff (‘21), among others.The small cast made for a competitive casting process, as twenty-five people auditioned for thirteen roles. “The casting process itself was challenging because it’s always hard not casting a student, but it is wonderful that we had so many people turn out.” He is impressed with the cast, whom he says, “have come in prepared and ready to work which has been very exciting.”Mr. Dema believes students can be both entertained and educated by this play, and that he wants audience members to recognize "what has changed in our judicial system [and society] and what hasn’t changed [since the 1950s]" and that is, "excited to share [the play] with the Casady community."Twelve Angry Jurors promises to be an amazing, thought-provoking experience for anyone who watches it, so don’t miss the show on opening night, February 21st!