Juror #6 says other 11 jurors are angry – and good
Mammoth Lakes Repertory’s “12 Angry Jurors” opens this weekend.
Fast-paced, intense, entertaining, well-rehearsed, well-acted by a strong ensemble cast … Mammoth Lakes Repertory’s latest production, “12 Angry Jurors,” is well-worth the price of admission. And newcomer Shaun Reitman turns in a star performance as the angriest juror.
I can testify to this anger because, well, he was right there next to me.
In a fun little twist, for “Jurors,” one member of the audience will be selected each night to play Juror #6. For the dress rehearsal, I took the role.
I suppose the perspective was similar to what an umpire experiences on a baseball diamond – on the field but not in the game.
And you don’t have to worry about screwing anything up. Jurors Juliana Olinka and Alexandre Browner shepherd you right through.
Note: If you’d like to play Juror #6, call Director Shira Dubrovner @ 760.934.6592
So what’s the play about? Let’s turn to Juliana Olinka’s (Juror #11) press release:
The American Classic drama “Twelve Angry Jurors” written by Reginald Rose and based on the stage version by Sherman L. Sergel is adapted from the Television Show initially presented as “Twelve Angry Men” on Studio One, CBS-TV in 1954. The story is as relevant today as it was in the 1950s. Directed by Mammoth Lakes Repertory Theatre’s Artistic Director, Shira Dubrovner, this presentation of the story is set in the 1960s, when women first began appearing on juries—hence the title “Twelve Angry Jurors.”
“My plan for this production is to make it timely and focus on the story—that includes prejudice, rush to judgment, and insight into the characters of the people asked to make a life-changing decision,” stated Dubrovner.
“Twelve Angry Jurors” is a courtroom drama which takes the audience behind the closed doors of a jury room. Each juror reveals his or her own character as testimonies are re-examined, the murder is re-enacted and a new murder threat is born before their eyes!
Other actors in the show who are not pictured include Olinka, Jeremy Goico, Gail Swain, Chuck Scatolini and Tim Casey.
What always impresses me about Dubrovner’s shows is the casting, and this show is no exception. I particularly liked the new faces who haven’t appeared previously in MLRT productions (Reitman, Browner, Goico, Davoren, Gill).
Gill also stood out for me.
Tickets are available online at EdisonTheatre.org for $20 and $18, and $22 at the door.
The show runs the next three weekends from Thursday through Sunday.
