March 31, 2023
The courtroom drama, 12 Angry Jurors, came to the stage at the Brownstone Center for the Arts on Thursday, March 30, and Friday, March 31. The cast received a well-deserved standing ovation from the audience for their exceptional performances that showcased their impressive dramatic skills.
“When selecting this year’s production, I wanted something that would work with multiple types of actors,” said Director of Theater Cory Squires. “I also wanted something that would resonate with today’s audience and possibly challenge their worldview. A piece, which was written 66 years ago with themes still prevalent today, hopefully, did just that.
“I am so proud of the hard work these students have done on this difficult show. I threw a lot at them, and each took it in stride. Even when the material made them uncomfortable.”
A young man is accused of murder and his fate is in the hands of 12 ordinary people as they deliberate his fate. At the start, 11 jurors are convinced of his guilt, but Juror #8 does not share their conviction and votes not guilty in the first round of voting. During the deliberations and reexamination of evidence, jury members begin to examine their histories, prejudices, and biases as they work towards a verdict.
Written during a time when women were unable to serve on a jury, many know the play and film productions of it as 12 Angry Men. Since then, productions featuring a cast where roles can be filled by any gender are done under the title 12 Angry Jurors.
The play invites us to consider how our biases and prejudices can influence our perceptions of others, and how those biases can impact the outcome of a trial.
The cast’s favorite quote from the production was “It takes a great deal of courage to stand alone.”
Audience members agreed that the production had them questioning what would create reasonable doubt. Several PRCC students were in the audience to support friends involved in the play.
Sophomore Hannah McCoy thoroughly enjoyed the performance.
“Anna Reese Arroyo’s performance really stood out to me,” said McCoy. “All the actors are doing a great job. If I was in that jury room, I would be questioning the defendant’s guilt thanks to the jurors’ arguments.”
MEET THE CAST AND CREW OF 12 ANGRY JURORS
The cast included 12 jurors along with a few understudies and several crew members involved in the production. The students dove into the production with gusto and were excited to share their performances with the community and members of the Wildcat family.
“Performing at the Brownstone has always been amazing, but this play is truly a different experience,” said Justin Wakeland of Hattiesburg, who portrays Juror #10. “We put a lot of work into this, and it showed on stage.”
Cast members included Foreman (Juror #1): Talandra Bumpers of Waynesboro; Juror #2: Micaiah Rosa of Bogalusa, LA; Juror #3: Aiden Levy of Bay St. Louis; Juror #4: Kyron Scott of Bay St. Louis; Juror #5: Vennessa Littleton of Sumrall; Juror #6: Mikayla Newell of Waynesboro; Juror #7: Anna Reese Arroyo of Hattiesburg; Juror #8: Carson Lajaunie of Carriere; Juror #9: Wakeland of Hattiesburg; Juror #10: Madalin Bisesi of Carriere; Juror #11: Jenna Morrison of Carriere; Juror #12: Miranda Dickson of Lucedale; Judge/ understudy: Mallory Lee of Diamondhead; Guard/ understudy: Less Cohran of Morton; and Understudy for Foreman – Juror #4: Cierra Johnson of Waynesboro.
“Acting in this production has been such a challenging and exciting undertaking,” said Levy, Juror #3. “Suspense and tension are key themes in this drama.”
The production manager was Destiny Cooley of Hattiesburg. Stephen Bonds of Carriere, Kadence Dedeaux of Perkinston, Jessica Sramek of Picayune, and Carlyn White of Foxsworth served as crew members.
FUTURE BROWNSTONE EVENTS
Two more student performances are scheduled for April at the Brownstone.
April 13 at 7 p.m. Broadway to Brownstone
April 20 at 7 p.m. PRCC JazzCats and the Voices
Tickets for the performances can be purchased at prcc.edu/brownstone/upcoming-events/. Discounts are available to current PRCC students, faculty and staff as well as for group purchases of 11 or more seats. Available seats can be purchased on-site beginning at 6 p.m. each evening.
For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), and Facebook (@PRCCMKTG).
Article by Laura O’Neill. Photography by Jacob Cochran.
