`Twelve Angry Men’ auditions Dec. 14-15
The Sheboygan Theatre Company has announced that open auditions for “Twelve Angry Men,” the third production of the 76th season, will take place Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 14-15.
Based on the classic TV show, this is the jury room story of a murder trial deliberation that at first appears cut and dried, but becomes an involved and sometimes heated discussion as one lone juror convinces the others that the defendant may in fact be innocent. A real actors’ play, it can be done as Twelve
Angry Men, Twelve Angry Women
or Twelve Angry Jurors,
though it is recommended that jurors three and eight be male.
In addition to the bit part of a guard, the cast includes 12 jurors. The foreperson is small, petty and impressed with his or her own authority, while juror number two is meek, hesitant and easily swayed. Juror number three is strong, opinionated, humorless and used to forcing views on others; juror number four is wealthy, positioned and a practiced speaker who feels above the others; and juror number five is a naïve, frightened, serious young person who finds it hard to speak up. At the same time juror number six, honest and dull-witted, can’t make up his or her own mind and so accepts the opinions of others.
Juror number seven, a loud, flashy, glad-handed bully, is bad tempered and quick to form opinions; juror number eight, strong, quiet, thoughtful and gentle, seeks the truth and wants justice done; and juror number nine is a mild, gentle, older person, long since defeated by life. While juror number 10 is an angry, bitter, antagonistic bigot who cares only about self, juror number 11 is an ashamed, humble and subservient foreigner, but a seeker of justice and juror number 12, in advertising, is a superficial, slick snob who is bright but has no people skills.
Though auditions do imply some competition, the process is made as pleasant as possible. Nothing need be prepared and everyone is given ample opportunity to try out multiple times. Direction is given along the way and no one needs to fear that he or she will in any way be embarrassed. The audition will basically involve reading selected scenes from the script.
Initial auditions will take place at the Horace Mann Middle School Leslie W. Johnson Theatre, 2820 Union Ave., Sheboygan, on Monday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. If callbacks are required, they will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Community Recreation Department, 607 S. Water St.
Scripts are available for loan through the theatre company’s office in the Community Recreation Department. They may be picked up Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. but must be returned by 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 14.
“Twelve Angry Men” will run from Feb. 5 to 13, 2010, with rehearsals beginning Wednesday, Dec. 16. Over an eight-week period there will be approximately 27 rehearsals, the majority of which will be Monday-Friday, 6:30-10 p.m. While no rehearsals will be held between Dec. 19 and Jan. 3, there will be two weekend rehearsals on the afternoons of Jan. 30 and 31.
For further information contact the theatre company office at 459-3779.
