Answer:
Inspiration for the play:
• This play was inspired by Reginald Rose’s own experience of jury duty on a manslaughter case in New York City.
• Rose recalls he was reluctant to serve on the jury until “the moment I walked into the courtroom…and found myself facing a strange man whose fate was suddenly more or less in my hands, my entire attitude changed.”
• Rose wrote about the dynamics of the jury.
• He decided that “a play taking place entirely within the jury room might be an exciting and possibly moving experience for an audience.”
• The jurors collide in varying interpretations of evidence and justice.
Themes:
• Justice and fairness
• Prejudice and stereotyping
• The power of persuasion and the influence of personal bias
What is a Trial:
• There are several parts to a trial:
o Jury Selection
o Opening Statements
o Presentation of Prosecution’s Case (the side charging the other with a crime)
o Presentation of Defense Case (the side defending against the charges)
o Closing Arguments (given by both sides’ lawyers)
o Jury Instructions
o Jury Deliberation and Verdict
• While most court dramas focus on the trial action the most, 12 Angry Men focuses only on the jury deliberation and verdict.
• We must deduce what was said in the trial based on the juror’s recollection.
The Jury:
• A jury consists of 12 citizens.
Step-by-step explanation:
Use at your own discretion.