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  • 1.  Theater in the round

    Posted 05-16-2016 08:49
    We are planning on doing "Twelve Angry Jurors" for our spring play next year and we are thinking about doing it in the round. Has anyone done this before? Or have resources /  tips for directing a play in the round? Thank you in advance for the feedback!

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    Jordan Fox
    Area Head, Theater
    Windward School
    11350 Palms Blvd.
    Los Angeles, CA 90066
    (310) 391-7127 ext.
    ​1131



  • 2.  RE: Theater in the round

    Posted 05-17-2016 07:18
    I have done TWELVE ANGRY JURORS multiple times and every time I have done it in the round. I don't think you really have to do anything special with this piece. There are very few blocking problems. I actually think it would be much more problematic to do in a proscenium approach. It works very well in a black box in the round style.
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  • 3.  RE: Theater in the round

    Posted 05-17-2016 08:38

    I did Twelve Angry Jurors in the round last spring. It works very well. I was (still am) a new teacher and director and it was my first full-length play directing experience, so I didn't really know what I was doing, but it turned out beautifully despite my inexperience. I didn't use any special resources. I've copied and pasted a post I wrote about it on a different thread a few months ago.

    Hi! I can empathize. I was in a similar situation last year. I began as a first year teacher in November. By the time I arrived the calendar for the auditorium use for the year had been set and there wasn't any space for us. Also, there were just so many challenges to tackle during my first year that I needed to start with something "simpler". We did Twelve Angry Jurors (Men) that spring. We staged it in the round (a little more square than round, but you get the idea). We put our audience on the stage on risers that our band program graciously loaned to us and then we had our large table and twelve chairs in the middle. We were able to rehearse in my classroom for most of the rehearsal period and we were able to have a Thursday performance, completely clear the stage for a Friday night band concert, and then set it back up for our Saturday performance. All together it worked very well for us for a variety of reasons.

    I inherited a struggling program that was barely hanging on and had very limited resources. Producing Twelve Angry Jurors in this way enabled us to put on a high quality, impressive looking show without much use of the auditorium or spending too much money. Audiences loved it and were so impressed. The students had a great time and learned a lot. I think it also helped to have something that was small and intimate as my first show because it enabled me to spend a lot more quality time with my actors and build relationships with them. Also, having the theatre "sold out" with about 150 people each night made the kids feel like a million bucks. (Our regular auditorium seats 850- yikes!) The whole production was a great confidence builder for me and the kids!

    Hope that helps! I know others in this community have also mentioned that they have staged this show in this way.

    Good luck!

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    Emily Olson
    Theatre Arts Teacher and Director
    Port St. Lucie, FL

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  • 4.  RE: Theater in the round

    Posted 05-17-2016 09:15

    We just performed "The Dining Room" in the round. It's tricky, but you have to make sure every one in the audience can see a face through the play. My suggestion is when you are directing, always sit a different place so you can make sure you are changing up the blocking fro all audience members! 

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    Suzanne Craig
    HS Theatre Director
    David Lipscomb High School
    Nashville TN

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  • 5.  RE: Theater in the round

    Posted 05-17-2016 09:17

    Our program did the play for this year's spring production, though we did it in proscenium. My challenge, not wanting anyone to be permanently tucked into an upstage corner, was to justify reasons for the jurors to change their seating arrangement. I see you having a version of the same challenge doing it in the round, but not an insurmountable one at all. I agree with others who have said this is a great way to present this piece. Good luck!

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    Josh Kauffman
    Teacher
    Winfield AL

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  • 6.  RE: Theater in the round

    Posted 05-17-2016 10:23

    There's a nice little part of the video Practical Technical Theater Introduction (by Interactive Educational Video) that deals with arena staging. I've directed several plays "in the round," and it's all about playing the diagonals, and keeping the action moving. Give the audience one actor's fact to look at, then it doesn't matter if two actors have their backs to that section. Remind them to project their voices because people are behind them, and to rotate their bodies regularly, to be open to as much of the arena as possible. Move the actors frequently; it gets to be like choreography, and can be very fun and beautiful to watch.

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    Richard Carter
    Author/Director: Community Shakespeare Company;
    MS/HS Teacher, Lopez Schools
    Lopez Island, WA

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  • 7.  RE: Theater in the round

    Posted 05-17-2016 12:59
    Aloha, Jordan!

    What a fantastic idea! Please let me know how it goes - I may want to steal this idea in the future.

    The best source I found for you (which really gives better info than I could) is here: http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/theatre-in-the-round-staging/

    Gotta love Theatrefolk!

    Take care and stay in touch,
    Rob



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