Frustratingly Timeless, 12 Angry Jurors is still making us think.

This strong production at Winters Theatre Company highlights what has and has NOT changed in the six decades since it was written.

This past Friday, I had the opportunity to see the opening night of Twelve Angry Jurors at Winters Theatre Company.

If you don’t know this play, it was written in 1954 as a teleplay called 12 Angry Men and was adapted into a play the next year. In 1957, it was adapted once more for the screen which culminated in an iconic film directed by Sidney Lumet and featured an iconic performance by Henry Fonda.

If you don't know the film or the play, the premise is timeless: Twelve jurors debate the fate of a young man accused of murder. The story follows the intense debates and conflicts among the jurors as they struggle to reach a unanimous verdict. It has been suggested that this play was written with the themes and tones surrounding the mass hysteria and mob mentalities of the McCarthy Era as the jury ebbs and flows between reasonable doubt and emotion.

The play has gone on to be revised for gender inclusivity and is a perfect ensemble piece for any community or educational theatre. There are roles for the experienced actor as well as those finding their footing in character work. The ensemble assembled by director Rodney Orosco featured a well matched group of actors that dove deep into the material that is no less relevant in our 2024 election year than it was in 1954. Strong performances from the entire group, standouts being Spencer Alexander, taking on the sadistically specific Lee J. Cobb role of Juror 3; Luke Michaels as the blatantly bigoted (yet somehow nuanced) Juror 10, and a double dose of much needed comedic relief from Rachel Howard-Till and Jean Thompson (Jurors 7 & 12).

But the quiet strength and dignity of Janene Whitesell was the powerhouse of the piece. Taking on the role (previously played by Henry Fonda) of Juror 8, Whitesell begins as the first and only defender of the defendant's right to reasonable doubt and her resolve brings the play to it’s climax. She is somehow both a pilar of strength and grace under pressure that is the backbone of the piece and it was played with perfection down to the very last moment. The confrontation between Alexander's Juror 3 and Whitesell's Juror 8 was pure theatrical magic. 

I could name every other person in the ensemble piece but I fear if I do, you'll miss the show. 12 Angry Jurors only plays for ONE MORE WEEKEND. Get your tickets at the link below and get thee to the theatre. Also, if you are game, Buckhorn Steakhouse makes for a LOVELY pre-theatre meal in the adorable Winters, CA!

(Tickets Here!)