AUBURN — A strong and experienced cast brings hot tempered jurors to the point of exhaustion as they deliberate the fate of an accused killer in the current Community Little Theatre production of “Twelve Angry Men” which continues on June 15, 16 and 17.
CLT’s powerful production of the spellbinding jury-room drama based on the 1954 teleplay, features an all-male cast, as called for in the original, that includes many of the area’s leading actors.
The 12 jurors are played by Chris L’Hommedieu, Paul Menezes, Cory King, Bill Myers, Dan Burgess, Sean Wallace, Jason Pelletier, John Blanchette, Phil Vampatella, Dan Kane, Don Libby and David Moyse. Jim McKinley plays the guard, Bill Hamilton plays the judge and Brandon Chaloux plays the clerk.
All of the jurors are known only as foreman and juror number two, three, and so on through juror number twelve. There’s also a guard, a judge and a clerk. Director Jackie McDonald’s program notes emphasize that the jurors must find common ground, but to do this they must recognize the importance of listening to one another.
“The vitriol of the current culture leaves little room for dissenting, and sometimes calmer, voices to be heard,” McDonald said. “I would love to be able to state that this play no longer represents the climate of our culture. Sadly, it remains as relevant today as the day it was first performed,” she said.
The themes of the show are eloquently voiced by the jurors, who bring with them their lifetime experiences, prejudices and biases, McDonald said.
Remaining performances of “Twelve Angry Men” are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, June 15 and 16, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 17. For tickets call 783-0958 or go online to www.LACLT.com.
Cory King, center, who plays Juror #3 is restrained by Jim McKinley, who plays a guard, as they are surrounded by other cast members during a recent rehersal at Community Little Theatre in Auburn for the upcoming performance of 12 Angry Men. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
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