The Jury Room

A bare stage, with nothing more on it than a table and some chairs, becomes the setting for murder, as twelve jurors gather to decide the fate of a lovely young girl. Did she stab her uncle in cold blood? Eleven jurors say yes. One, a student actress, says no. Act out the testimony, she begs them desperately, and see if it looks true. Finally, impatiently, they agree. Furniture is re-arranged, props are brought in, including the real murder weapon. The actress becomes the accused girl. The foreman impersonates the murdered man. There's a part for everyone. Several jurors provide comedy as they try to adjust to being 'actors.' Others take the situation seriously. Arguments erupt. Tempers flare. The jurors begin to lose themselves in their roles. There's plenty of physical action as the events leading up to the murder and the murder itself are brought to life onstage. But which version is correct? If the girl didn't kill her uncle, who did? One of the other characters being portrayed? Play-acted murder threatens to become real murder. Will it? The verdict, the solution, and the climax of the play arrive together in a single smashing finish.