Pontiac Theatre IV is pleased to announce our upcoming auditions for 12 Angry Jurors by Reginal Rose, directed by McKinley Shaw and produced by Maria Bermudez.
A 19-year-old man has just stood trial for the fatal stabbing of his father. “He doesn’t stand a chance,” mutters the guard as the 12 jurors are taken into the bleak jury room. It looks like an open-and-shut case – until one of the jurors begins opening the others’ eyes to the facts. “This is a remarkable thing about democracy,” says the foreign-born juror, “that we are notified by mail to come down to this place – and decide on the guilt or innocence of a person; of a man or woman we have not known before. We have nothing to gain or lose by our verdict. We should not make it a personal thing.” But personal it is, with each juror revealing his or her own character as the various testimonies are re-examined, the murder is re-enacted and a new murder threat is born before their eyes. Tempers get short, arguments grow heated, and the jurors become angry in this riveting show.
Audition Dates: At Michigan School for the Arts, 825 Golf Dr, Pontiac, MI
Sunday, January 15th at 4pm
Monday, January 16th and Tuesday, January 17th at 7pm
Performance Dates: At Michigan School for the Arts, 825 Golf Dr, Pontiac, MI
March 24th, 25th, 31st, and April 1st, 2017
Please be prepared to read from the script. The cast is open to men and women.
Character Descriptions:
Foreman: Small, petty individual who is impressed with the authority they carry, and handles themselves quite formally. Not overly bright, but dogged.
#2: Meek, hesitant individual who finds it difficult to maintain their own opinion. Easily swayed and usually adopts the opinions of the last person who spoke.
#3: Very strong, very forceful, extremely opinionated, within whom can be detected a streak of sadism. Also humorless and intolerant of opinions other than their own, and accustomed to forcing their views onto others.
#4: Individual of wealth and position. Practiced speaker who presents well at all times. Feels a little bit above the other jurors. Only is concerned with the facts of the case and is appalled with the behaviors of the others.
#5: Naive, frightened, and young. Takes obligations in this case very seriously, but finds it difficult to speak up when older jurors have the floor.
#6: Honest, but dull-witted. Comes to decisions slowly and carefully. Finds it difficult to create positive opinions, but must listen to, digest, and accept those opinions offered by others that appeal to them most.
#7: Loud, flashy, glad-handed salesperson who has more important things to do. Quick to show temper and equally quick to form opinions on things they know nothing about. A bully and coward.
#8: Quiet, thoughtful, gentle. Sees all sides of every question and constantly seeks the truth. Strength tempered with compassion. Above all, wants justice to be done, and will fight to see that it is.
#9: Mild, gentle, older person, defeated by life and merely waiting to die. Mourns the days when it would have been possible to be courageous without shielding behind their many years.
#10: Angry, bitter. antagonizes almost at sight. Bigot who places no values on any human life save their own. Has been nowhere, is going nowhere, and knows it deep within.
#11: Refugee (country of origin to be determined). Speaks with an accent and is ashamed, humble, almost subservient to the people around them. Will honestly seek justice, as they have suffered through so much injustice.
#12: Slick, bright advertising agent who thinks of humans in terms of percentages, graphs and polls, and has no real understanding of people. Superficial snob, but trying to be a good person.