Stained Glass Theatre presents '12 Angry Men'

Jun. 11—Stained Glass Theatre officials say their June production of "12 Angry Men" discusses themes that are as significant today as they were in the beloved 1957 film.

"Watching this, I can see some of the positive and negative attributes of the characters and think, 'That's still relevant today,'" director Jude Wolfe said. "For the writers to have created something that still remains talked about and performed and relevant all those years later is remarkable."

In "12 Angry Men," a jury in the 1950s has to decide on the guilt or the innocence of a 19-year-old accused of killing his father. At the beginning of the show, 11 men vote guilty while one holds out. Juror 8, described by Wolfe as wise and compassionate, isn't sure about his stance at first but wants to talk about the case. He feels that because a life is at stake, they owe the defendant a few words. For the rest of the play, Juror 8 attempts to show the rest of the jury his viewpoint, confronting conflicts raised by bigotry and classism.

Wolfe believes the theme of confronting prejudices will resonate with viewers today. Locked in a small room for the entire play, every juror plays a part in discussing these issues. They face their own biases through conversation, often heated and intense.

"I can't imagine that sitting on a jury is as interesting as the movie, but it absolutely makes me appreciate the justice system," Wolfe said. "I've been a fan of courtroom dramas for a while. This is my favorite because instead of putting you in the perspective of an officer or lawyer, it puts you in the perspective of the everyman."

Most people will be familiar with "12 Angry Men" from the 1957 black-and-white movie with Henry Fonda. Wolfe said even before casting, he was thinking of how to adapt the movie for the stage.

The movie influenced Wolfe's characterization of how the jurors act, ways they maneuver and the tension of certain scenes. For example, in the 1957 movie, Juror 2 is played by the same actor who voiced Piglet for "Winnie the Pooh" cartoons. The Stained Glass Theatre actor used that meekness as inspiration for his stage portrayal of character.

"The movie was a huge inspiration for me," Wolfe said. "I love the story, I love the characters. Part of me was incredibly excited about putting something on the Stained Glass Theatre stage specifically that was so different than anything that's being put on."

The show is a change of pace for Stained Glass Theatre, a faith-based theater, because the production is aimed at a more mature audience. Wolfe doesn't want to count out kids enjoying the show, but he said probably a more mature audience would better appreciate the play. "12 Angry Men" has adult themes of the murder trial, more mature social themes and scenes of intense arguing.

In staging the play, Wolfe was aware that because each juror is referred to only by his number, it might be hard to keep track of 12 characters on stage at once. With the original movie in black and white, Wolfe and costumer Mary McWethy had a field day with the 1950s outfits, using them to help differentiate the jurors. Subtle outfit clues like color symbolism give insight into the characters and make them memorable.

Among the messages Wolfe hopes the audience takes away from these characters is that, unlike the 1950s film's lack of color, things aren't always black and white. If you feel strongly about an issue, you owe it to yourself to stop and look at the other side.

"You don't have to change your opinion, but it's never to your detriment to look at the other side," Wolfe said.