Welcome back to the theater! This has been an unpredictable time and it’s surreal to be back in Mountain View’s auditorium. Since we closed our curtains in 2020, our theatre department has seen some large changes. We would like to dedicate this production to Mrs. Paige Oppenhagen who retired at the beginning of the pandemic. Mrs. O — we thank you for decades’ worth of your blood, sweat, and tears that you’ve poured into this program. We hope that you see your influence in this production. None of this would have been possible without the strong foundation that you created.
12 Angry Men premiered on CBS in 1954. Since then, the play has been studied and performed in schools across the country. Although this play is normally performed with an all-male cast and set in 1954, we’ve decided to reimagine what 12 Angry Men would look like as 12 angry people in 2021. Each actor was tasked with the challenge of taking these classic characters and developing them within the context of our world today. Using the text as the roadmap, every actor was given the opportunity to create an original character and breathe new life into this iconic play.
12 Angry Men focuses on 12 jurors who all come from different walks of life. Suddenly, they find themselves locked in the same room and they must decide unanimously if a defendant is innocent or guilty of murder. Throughout the play, the personal biases of each juror are revealed as they struggle to put their feelings aside and look at the case logically. While the jurors may never know the truth, they must sift through the evidence and determine if there is enough certainty to declare the defendant guilty or enough reasonable doubt to declare the defendant not guilty. What is reasonable doubt? How do we know if something is reasonable? How much evidence is needed in order for a jury to be certain? The American Justice System is hazy and the truth is often never known. When the fate of a human being is put in the hands of 12 strangers, could there ever be certainty?
Before wrapping up, I would like to take a moment to recognize the students who are involved in this production. When we returned after an 18 month hiatus, we weren’t sure if live theatre would be possible and what it would even look like. If it weren’t for the passion and dedication from these young people, there may have not even been a play. Each and every student stepped up and took ownership over this program. For the first time, we had students designing and coordinating all aspects of production! As you watch our performance tonight, we hope you are amazed by what a group of high school students can accomplish.
Thank you all for coming back to the theater and supporting the performing arts. We hope you enjoy the show!
-Mitch Garrison, Director
