Support for LAist comes from
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Stay Connected
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen
Podcasts Take Two
'12 Angry Men', six of them black
solid orange rectangular banner
()
Nov 15, 2013
Listen 15:13
'12 Angry Men', six of them black
A new production of the play, "12 Angry Men," twists the formula of the classic drama by dividing the racial make-up of the jury between black and white.
The cast of "12 Angry Men," now playing at the Pasadena Playhouse.
The cast of "12 Angry Men," now playing at the Pasadena Playhouse.
(
Clarence Alford/Pasadena Playhouse
)

A new production of the play, "12 Angry Men," twists the formula of the classic drama by dividing the racial make-up of the jury between black and white.

"12 Angry Men" is among the great classics of the American theater. Reginald Rose's play about the inner workings of a jury room debuted on television in 1954, followed a year later by a stage version. It was then adapted for film by Sidney Lumet in 1957, starring Henry Fonda.

Now it's in production at the Pasadena Playhouse, and director Sheldon Epps has put a twist on it with a half-white, half-black cast. 

Epps and lead actor Jason George join Take Two to explain how the production draws out the racial tension roiling within the script, and how the play resonates with an audience still reeling from events like the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial.

"12 Angry Men" runs until December 1st at the Pasadena Playhouse. For more information, visit here.