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Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

  • 1.  Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

    Posted 09-23-2015 20:12

    I am struggling to figure out how best to stage the jury room so that all the jurors can be seen. We will be performing in an auditorium that seats 664 people - not that we draw more than 250 - and I am considering 3 tables, 1 table? Angling them? Building a table that gets wider as it gets upstage?

     

    Sad graphic of table placement =  Π  =  Would three tables work? As shown in the poor example to the left?

    Any and all ideas/suggestions are welcome!
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    Shana DeRose-Smith
    Huron OH
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  • 2.  RE: Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

    Posted 09-24-2015 07:11

    I'm deep into rehearsals for that show right now.  We are using one long table, and yes, jurors do have backs to the audience. The seats are staggered so you can see the juror who is upstage. I also have included a lot of movement so the jurors who do have their backs to the audience while seated are up and moving about quite a bit (as is everyone else).  I have seen it done with three tables where everyone is one one side facing the audience, and I've seen it done with two tables in a "V". However, I'm finding it very interesting and realistic looking to not have 3 tables or have all jurors face the audience. If you want I can send you a clip of our rehearsal or something. Let me know.  

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    Christa Vogt
    Theatre Teacher
    Norfolk VA
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

    Posted 09-24-2015 07:30

    Hi Shana:

    I directed 12 Angry Women last year. I used 2 long tables side by side and angled the 4 jurors on the ends. My stage is very small so I had the water cooler off to the side. If you give me your email, I can send you some photos.

    Thanks,

    Zena Rodriguez

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    Zena Rodriguez
    Coconut Grove FL
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

    Posted 09-24-2015 08:39

    This may be impractical for you, but we staged the show in the round with audience seated on stage with the performers raised on a 6" platform. Our stage is sized so that we were able to fit about 120 audience members. We used two conference tables end to end and at a diagonal in the performance space. The water cooler, doors to room/bathroom and window were at each corner of the space nestled with the audience. It was extremely intimate which, of course, was an excellent environment for the piece. 

    If you are going to use multiple tables (in any format), I'd have the tables pre-set in other areas of the stage and have the actors "assemble" them as they mill about in the opening scene. This will get an immediate buy in from the audience for whatever staging choice you make. 

    This was one of the most rewarding shows I've staged. Enjoy the creative hurdles!


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    Kory Meinhart
    Toledo OH
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

    Posted 09-27-2015 22:55

    We also stage the play up on the stage in the round.  A couple sheets of plywood side by side were cut into a large 8' round which was then placed on top of a standard table creating an 8' circular table.   As Kory pointed out we had the audience up on the stage for a nice intimate theatre.  About three rows of chairs all around with the third row elevated (we kept the cast level and rake the audience).  Now, granted we have a 50' proscenium arch and 35' deep stage so it worked fine as far as space for the cast and the audience up on the stage.  Great play, good times.  
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    Glen Perazzo
    Theatre Department Chairman
    Fallon NV
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  • 6.  RE: Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

    Posted 09-28-2015 09:13

    We did the show 2 years ago in the round with faux-foam walls, tables in the center and the audience in-the-round on raised platforms on the stage.  This was a great way to create an intimate dramatically-tense experience for the audience and present a different style of blocking.  Additionally, students in this close experience were not required to have microphones.  Because most of our shows had been done in typical proscenium-style staging this was great fun and a really neat learning experience for the actors & the audience.

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    Shannon Peery
    Kansas City KS
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

    Posted 09-24-2015 09:59

    I'll be directing this piece in the winter and am thinking of two options: 1) doing it in 3/4 round, with the audience surrounding the set on 3 of the 4 walls; or 2) angling the table and using a great deal of movement.  Either way I decide, I'm excited for overcoming that one technical aspect.  Best of luck!

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    Michael Hancey
    Musical Theatre Teacher/Theatre Guild Sponsor
    Laramie WY
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

    Posted 09-24-2015 10:09

    Like Christa said above, I'm also currently in rehearsals on this play, and we're also doing one long table, with some jurors having their backs to the audience. Every theatrical instinct I have is screaming at me to have them turn around, but the truth is, it's more realistic this way, and as long as I make sure to keep the jurors moving and have them mostly facing the audience when they have lines, it works well.

    There's no right or wrong way - whatever works best for your space and your own theatrical leanings will be fine. I was probably influenced by the Broadway production of 10 years ago or so - they did it the way I'm doing it.

    Break a leg!


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    Scott Harris
    Theatre Director
    Mamaroneck NY
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

    Posted 09-24-2015 18:02

    Every instinct screams that backting is bad, but if you use that as the jump off, and get creative with your blocking, there are many reasons for those characters to get up and move around during their discussions. If you are in a proscenium theatre, I would place the long table at an angle just to create a visual diagonal to create interest, but otherwise let the characters be your guide.

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    James Gunn
    DramaTeacher
    Madera CA
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

    Posted 09-26-2015 19:47

    I staged that show a few years ago.  I used one long table, but the characters who had their backs to the audience were in swivel chairs on wheels - we got creative with the blocking.  Great show.

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    Renee Peterson
    Theatre Instructor
    Hedgesville WV
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    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

    Posted 09-27-2015 08:21

    I'm late to this thread but I want to echo the recommendations for a single table. I did the show a few years ago and found it very easy to draw motivation within the script as well as from the heat and tension within the room for very realistic movement. I set my table on a diagonal and made certain the room fixtures (window, fan, water cooler, etc) were distributed to provide 'destinations' for the characters. 

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    John Friedenberg
    Director Of Theatre
    Wake Forest University Dept of Theatre & Dance
    Winston-salem NC
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    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

    Posted 09-29-2015 07:11

    I have done this show twice. I never considered more than one table--what jury room has that? Also, no extra chairs--same reason

    I angled the entire set, so the angled table made sense. The foreman (woman) is Down Left on the end of the table, and the jurors go counter-clockwise from there. There are six chairs on the Up side, and four on the Down side. This puts number eight on the Up Right end, and only 4 jurors with backs to the audience. If they sit angled to the table, they are pretty much in profile. And as others have said, if they lead a section of discussion, they move.

    It works, and is the most realistic option, I believe.

    Have fun; it's a great show!



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    Michael Corliss
    Livonia MI
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    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

    Posted 09-29-2015 07:54

    I have done this performance and seen it done by several colleges.  They/we used two long tables with 10 at the upstage and one on each end.  I actually used a slightly slanted platform as well.  The colleges simply used the long table and had a box set behind and a small "coffee area" to help motivate crosses.

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    Sonja Shetler
    Bear River WY
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    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

    Posted 09-30-2015 09:55

    I remember working on this play when I was a high school student about 30 years ago. We had one table, and it was angled from the audience so the jurors on the downstage side could "cheat out" with their chairs and still be seen. We also shifted seats around several times, so no one had their back to the audience for the whole show.

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    Josh Kauffman
    Teacher
    Winfield AL
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    Original Message


  • 15.  RE: Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

    Posted 10-01-2015 11:00

    Years ago, I did the play in the round and shifted the set one third each act. 

    Another time, I also had success with a raked stage performance.

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    Carol Lommen
    Educational Consultant
    Odyssey Charter Schools
    Las Vegas NV
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    Original Message


  • 16.  RE: Help/ Ideas needed for staging 12 Angry Jurors

    Posted 10-01-2015 08:22

    Hello Shana,

    I have been following this discussion for a while now and there seems to be another alternative you might try.

    Every other spring show I bring the audience up on stage. I arrange for a 20' x 20' acting area on the stage and then fill the remaining space with rows of chairs. In some cases I bring in platform risers for the audience to sit on. I have been able to get as many as 70 chairs on the stage and give our audience and actors a unique experience. 

    I hide the technical crew behind a doubled black scrim as they sit on stage as well (on risers that are 24" to 30" high) in the wing space. 

    This "blackbox" configuration seems to work for your show give it a try.

    Warren 

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    Warren Kerr
    Theatre Arts Teacher
    Auburn School District
    Auburn WA
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    Original Message


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