The Community Theatre of Greensboro presents "Twelve Angry Men"
I wanted to give a mention here about the Community Theatre of Greensboro’s (CTG) production of “Twelve Angry Men”, which I was fortunate enough to catch last night. I thought the show was outstandingly staged, featuring non-traditional casting (5 roles were played by women) and a unique choice of venue (a real Guilford County courtroom). Some solid decisions were made about the courtroom drama’s presentation that imbued it with a modern sensibility while maintaining the feel of the 1950’s era in which the play was set.
“Twelve Angry Men”, by playwright Reginald Rose, was originally written as a teleplay in 1954 for CBS’s Studio One Series and adapted to an Oscar-nominated feature length film in 1957. The CTG’s stage version was adapted in 1960 by Sherman L. Sergel. The show debuted on Broadway in 2004, many decades after its original premiere.
CTG’s production features a strong cast at the top of their game, able to connect with the very diverse characters they portray, bringing their interactions believably to life. The sense of dramatic tension was nicely maintained throughout, and the twists and turns of this tale of a jury’s deliberation of a murder trial will keep you on the edge of your seat. I especially enjoyed MaryAnn Luedtke, who played juror # 8 with steel in her spine and composed dignity. A perfect foil to her stoic common sense was Patrick Ferrara, as juror #3, a man carried away by his emotions and prejudices to the point that he seems inexorably lost to the reach of reason, or in this case, reasonable doubt.
I urge you to take the opportunity to see this well-done production. The crowd last night looked to be close to a sell-out, which is likely to happen as word gets out, so arrange for tickets ahead of time. The show plays today, Sunday Oct. 5th at 2 PM. You can also catch it Oct. 9th through the 11th at 8PM and Oct. 12th at 2PM. Call 336-333-SHOW or visit www.ctgso.org for tickets.
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