Quote of the Day: It’s very hard to keep personal prejudice out of a thing like this. And no matter where you run into it, prejudice obscures the truth. Juror #8 in 12 Angry Men by Reginald Rose, adapted for the stage by Sherman L. Sergel.

Fun fact: 12 Angry Men was first written as a live television play by Reginald Rose after he served on a jury for a manslaughter case. It aired on the program Studio One on Sept. 20, 1954. It was adapted as a stage play by Serman L. Sergel in 1955, and became a film starring Henry Fonda in 1957. I’ve both read and taught the play when I was an English teacher, and I’m pretty sure we watched the film, but I don’t remember it very well. I was excited to see it produced at Lyric Arts this fall and put it on my must-see list. I went with fellow Twin Cities Theater Blogger Rob Dunkelberger, The Stages of MN, and they gave us seats in Box 8. It was great to be up above the action, looking down from a side balcony view, like we were listening in on the jury deliberations. 

12 Angry Men at Lyric Arts, thru 11/1/29. Photo: Molly Jay

You might think, going into a play about jury deliberations, that it will be watching a bunch of actors sitting around talking. And, yes, it is a heavy dialogue play, but they also have plenty of action, and even some humor. When the men first walk into the deliberation room, they loosen ties and try to open windows. It’s a hot, summer day, and they’ve been listening to testimony and lawyers for several days. They want to be done with the case and go home. Several jury members express that it seems like a cut and dried case, “let’s just take a vote now and get on with it.” The first vote is done verbally. They go down the line, “Guilty, Guilty, Guilty,” etc. Until one lone voice says, “Not guilty.” The rest of the men groan, but the foreman (David Coral) says, “Let’s hear him out.” 

12 Angry Men at Lyric Arts, thru 11/1/29. Photo: Molly Jay

Juror #8 (Davin Grindstaff) is the one lone voice in a room full of men ready to convict, wipe their hands of the matter, send a man to prison, and go home. But, Juror #8 says he wants to discuss it. Some things aren’t adding up. He’s questioning what really happened, as well as the testimony of the witnesses. Here’s where more action comes in. Tempers flare quickly as the room heats up and people want their opinions heard and shared. They don’t like being questioned. They act out the murder scene. They time the sequence of actions, questioning how many seconds it would actually take to get from one place to another to actually see what happened, and who was there. 

12 Angry Men at Lyric Arts, thru 11/1/29. Photo: Molly Jay

Slowly, the other jurors start to look at the case from a new point of view. The questions from Juror #8 make them stop and think. They reveal their prejudices, their quick judgements, and they also show an ability to see things differently and truly examine the evidence. I think that’s the brilliance of this script. We go through that emotional arc with the jurors in real time. The show is 90 minutes, no intermission, and it’s captivating. Sometimes, we hear the tick of the clock. We hear the L-train going by. We witness the jurors working things through and see which ones want to use brute strength to sway the decision, while others use words and logic. They examine the evidence.

12 Angry Men at Lyric Arts, thru 11/1/29. Photo: Molly Jay

I found myself really listening to their voices. Juror #8 has to stand up to 11 men who are convinced that they’re right. But, he speaks up anyway. Juror #11 (Abdoul Kondo) who is an immigrant, points out differences in the justice system from the country he came from that make the others take pause. Juror #5 (Jonathan Steven Edwards) reveals that he came from the same neighborhood as the man on trial and understands the life there and the prejudices people feel against him. 

12 Angry Men at Lyric Arts, thru 11/1/29. Photo: Molly Jay

Julie K. Phillips did a great job directing this show. Each character feels distinct. The movement and action add to the tension that builds as we watch. Excellent use of sound effects and lighting, designed by Shannon Elliott. Cory Skold designed the set, giving it a feel of an old courthouse with well appointed furnishings. Everything was well-positioned, and movable, if necessary, making it easy to see the flow of the action. The entire cast is strong, great acting and directing.

You can see this classic play, 12 Angry Men, at Lyric Arts through Nov. 1, 2026. This would be a great one for school groups, anyone studying the law or social justice, or bring a friend who will discuss it with you afterwards.

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt: Have you ever served on a jury? What was it like? If not, do you want to be called? Many people say that they don’t. Why do you think they (or you) feel that way?