Welcome to Sewickley Academy’s production of Reginald Rose’s 12 Angry Jurors.
Most people are familiar with the original 1954 movie (Twelve Angry Men), but rarely is the staged adaptation presented. In pondering this, I wondered why? The show originally opened in London in 1964, but was not on Broadway until 2004. Why would such a powerful and respected movie not have a more produced stage play? Is the language too much for some theaters? Is the show “dated” and no longer relevant? Are audiences not interested in watching twelve people sit around a table and talk?
Well, after working on this show for the past two months I can honestly say that I’m surprised more theaters are not jumping at the chance to produce it.
My path to this play was by no means direct. I set out two summers ago to find a show that would challenge our students creatively, but one that also reflected our school’s mission and core values. With a pandemic raging and racial tensions at a peak, I struggled to find the right show to present last year. Ultimately, a radio play was the best course of action since we were not able to perform live inside. But I still searched throughout the year, reading many scripts, trying to find the ‘right’ one for this fall. Then, by a stroke of luck, I came across the title while conducting a search on a licensing company’s website. Just by seeing the title, I was flooded with vivid memories of the movie, and knew immediately that I needed to read it as soon as possible! Thanks to Amazon, it was in my hands in two days, and after a few pages I knew this would be our fall play.
But finding the right script is only a small piece to the overall puzzle - more questions followed: How would we handle the language? How would we cast the show? And most importantly, would we update it to today? Many people asked me this question when I told them Sewickley Academy was doing Twelve Angry Men. I explained that no, we would be staying in the 1950’s. Because the stereotypes and issues that existed in the 1950’s are still present today. True, laws have passed allowing more rights and freedoms, but a law does not change someone’s personal thoughts or biases. Hopefully audiences will see that almost seventy years later we are still facing many of the same issues.
Therefore, I feel that presenting this story ‘as is’ will provide all the commentary needed. But with our own intentional twist. Our production features both male and female actors of multiple races and ethnicities playing roles originally intended for white men; thus the change in title: 12 Angry Jurors. We even double cast two specific roles, making every performance unique and varied.
Overall, this process has been one of the most memorable of my life. Watching these students tackle such challenging material, having open and heartfelt conversations, and supporting one another throughout this journey has truly been remarkable. I am so proud of their courage, maturity, and compassion as they bravely present this powerful story.
We hope you enjoy the production.
Joe Jackson
