ALL IN FAVOR: A scene from 12 Angry Jurors shows all the jury in favor of a verdict.
REVIEWING THE EVIDENCE: Jurors go over the evidence in hopes of convincing each other, while other jurors grow bored with the constant back and forth.

By Jill Holloway jill.holloway@gaflnews.com Sep 1, 2023

THOMASVILLE- Indulge in a guilty pleasure this weekend as Thomasville on Stage and Company presents their adaptation of 12 Angry Jurors.

Directed by TOSAC veteran Caleb Goodman, 12 Angry Jurors tells the story of 12 jurors who have been listening to a murder trial for the past six days, when they are sent back to deliberate. After receiving all the evidence and facts presented to them, they are faced with deciding if the child who shot his father is innocent or guilty. What looked to be an open and shut case, appears to be quite the opposite for Juror #8. However, the jury can’t leave until they all agree and 11 other jurors can be quite compelling.

Goodman has long been a fan of 12 Angry Jurors, which was adapted from the original story of 12 Angry Men.

“I grew up on the 1957 film,” Goodman said. “I remember watching that with my dad and even being 7/8 years-old, I was on the edge of my seat and enthralled at this 50-year-old black and white movie.”

Goodman enjoys the ambiguity of the story and never actually knowing if the child is innocent or guilty.

“It doesn’t really matter, because in our justice system you’re innocent until proven guilty and if you can’t prove he’s guilty without a reasonable doubt, you have to acquit him and I just think that’s an interesting concept,” Goodman said.

The concept grows even more interesting when you lock 12 individuals in a room and force them to agree, Goodman continued.

While Goodman has seen the movie dozens of times and the production, he is excited to his own spin on the classic show.

“By interspersing men and women into the jury room, we’ve already changed some things,” he said. “But, just on a basic level, whoever you cast in any role is going to bring their own spin and own take on any role and that’s what makes each production unique.”

This particular cast features both locals and residents of Tallahassee.

Goodman said he was lucky with the great turnout he had a tryouts, with nearly 30 individuals showing up to land a role.

“I’ve been very fortunate of getting an excess of talent,” he said. “We had 24 or 25 show up to audition and I could’ve cast any of them in 2-3 roles.”

For some of the cast members who are regulars at TOSAC, Goodman said he is excited for the audience to see them in a new light.

“There are some people in the cast who are changing the type of character they usually play,” he said. “You’ll get to see a new aspect to them and I think that’s always interesting.”

The cast includes Brett Allbritton as the Guard with the jury consisting of the foreman Cameron Parker and Aiko Austin, Peyton Hodges, John Stevenson, Autumn Clarke, Chris Guyton, Mathew Whetsell, Tim Nettles, Duncan Hoehn, David Kennedy, Emmy Tanscis and Sarah Reid Vinyard as Jurors 2-12 respectively.

The show will run for two weekends, beginning on Saturday, September 2 with a 7 p.m. performance. It will be performed again on Sunday, September 3 at 2 p.m., Friday, September 8 and Saturday, September 9th at 7 p.m. and have its final matinee performance on Sunday, September 10th at 2 p.m.

To purchase tickets, visit Tosac.com/tickets.