This month, WATERFORDrama continues its season with a much-anticipated production of Twelve Angry Jurors, a popular play that allows a glimpse into the legal system of the United States.

The plot of the show is simple.  A jury of 12 people convenes in order to discuss the crimes of a young man.  Over the course of 90 minutes, the characters slowly wade their way through the evidence, recreating the events that led the young man to court.  The pace and tension of the show rises as the jury struggles to form a verdict, knowing that the decision they make has the power to end a life.

The show will run from January 29 to February 1st and will feature two entirely different casts; one female, one male.  The announcement of this division came as a surprise to everyone, who had been led to believe that the show would have a single, mixed cast.

Director Shane Valle said, “I was initially intending to do a mixed cast of Twelve Angry Jurors.  However, after some great auditions, I realized that I had almost enough people to do two separate casts, one male and one female.  I wanted to give as many students as possible the opportunity to get on stage.  I was intrigued to see the difference between an all male and all-female cast.”

Both casts  have been working diligently for the past month developing their characters.  Many admit that sharing a role with someone else has given them a perfect opportunity to experiment with and discuss their character.

“It’s fun to see how different both of us interpreted our character, especially between male and female,” said junior Courtney Rowe.  “The tension level is different because men in the 1950s were probably more likely to express their anger than women in the 1950s. And the difference in some of the lines between genders is very funny.”

The characters themselves are incredibly fascinating.

“Twelve Angry Jurors is such an important show because it shows the facets in people.” said freshman Kaitlyn Mangelinkx.  “At first, you are led to believe certain things about certain jurors, but as the show goes on every detail is brought into question. Characters are exposed, explaining the behaviors. I love how every character is so individual.”

Another thing that is sure to add an interesting aspect to the show are the seating arrangements.  The audience will be seated onstage, where they will command an up-close and personal view of the entire show.

Senior Nathaniel Ross stated, “One thing I love about the show itself is the realism of the setting.  You get to see every character at all times during that time. The audience is a true omniscient observer in that regard.”

Tickets for the show will be available soon.  For more information, visit the high school website or WATERFORDrama’s Facebook page.