Andrea Hummel

The air in the jury room is stifling. The door is locked, so the jurors can’t even step outside for a breath of fresh air.

The foreman tries hard to keep the jurors focused; since this is a capital murder trial, the verdict must be unanimous. They can, and do, request to see pieces of evidence again.

This is the setting for SLCT’s fall play, Twelve Angry Jurors, opening November 7 in the San Tan Ballroom and closing with a matinee on November 11. This Emmy-award-winning play deals with topics as fresh and relevant as today’s news: prejudice, the death penalty, crime and the fairness of a jury trial, to name a few.

The original play, Twelve Angry Men, was first produced as a television play in 1954. At that time, a woman’s right to serve on a jury varied from state to state. Women’s earliest inclusion was 1870, but many states didn’t allow it well into the 1960s. South Carolina and Mississippi were the last two at 1967 and 1968, respectively. With these changes in mind, the play has been re-written as Twelve Angry Women and Twelve Angry Jurors to more clearly reflect the present.

Because of its close examination of a murder trial, Twelve Angry Men has been required reading for law students and is included in many high school government classes. Like most classic works, readers can find new nuances with each reading.

For this play, a matinee has been decided on for the last performance to make it easier for folks in the Renaissance or anyone who doesn’t like to drive at night. Tickets will go on sale October 17 at a Sun Lakes locations to be announced and online at SLCTinfo.com, or call 480-382-6290.