Seton Hall University's Department of Communication and the Arts' first production of the spring theatre season will be an adaptation of the Emmy Award-winning television movie by Reginald Rose, "Twelve Angry Men." The play is directed by Professor Deirdre Yates and will be performed by Seton Hall students in the University Center's Theatre-in-the-Round from Feb. 21 to Feb. 24.
"Twelve Angry Men" is a drama about the aftermath of a 19-year-old boy on trial for murdering his father. The fate of the young man lies in the hands of 12 very different men on the trial's jury. While 11 of the jurors are in agreement that the young man they dubbed a delinquent is guilty, one lone jury member refuses to write him off without closely looking at all of the facts before making a verdict. The play famously tackles issues of race, class and society as a whole in the 20th century. The pursuit of justice in the case helps to guide the story of the 12 men who must overcome personal dilemmas both internally and with other jurors. And just as the title would suggest, there are plenty of heated moments that make for great drama.
In a way, this production is unique compared to many other plays because the characters in "Twelve Angry Men" do not have names; they are known only by their juror numbers. This distinction of anonymity takes the focus of the drama away from the characters and onto the case.
Senior Quemars Ahmed, who plays the role of the reserved Juror 8, said the production is full of intensity and moments that stir many emotions within the audience.
"It is a challenge to create this dynamic between my character and the other jurors," he said. "There is definitely some intense anger that my character shows, but it is mostly out of interactions with other jurors, and for the goal of gaining something specific."
Performances will be at 8 p.m. on the Feb. 21 through 23 and 2 p.m. on the Feb. 24. Tickets will be on sale at the Theatre-in-the-Round ticket office at the start of the show and will cost $5 for students.
Brett Montana can be reached at brett.montana@student.shu.edu.
