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Considered by many to be the greatest courtroom drama of all time, the classic TWELVE ANGRY MEN by Reginald Rose is coming to Playhouse Square in November as part of the 2007-08 KeyBank Broadway Series. This do-not-miss production opens on November 27 and will run through December 9, 2007. The production visiting Playhouse Square began life with the Roundabout Theatre Company in New York City in the fall of 2004 and marked the first time the show was ever seen on a Broadway stage. The response was so strong that it became the longest-running production at their home, extending an unprecedented seven times to run for 32 weeks. Its record-breaking run earned three Tony Award nominations. The touring version is built around the performance of Richard Thomas (The Waltons) in the pivotal role of Juror No. 8, a man who fearlessly stands alone against eleven other jurors played by Mike Boland, Charles Borland, Todd Cerveris, Jeffrey Hayenga, David Lively, Alan Mandell, Mark Morettini, Julian Gamble, Kevin Dobson, Thomas Gebbia, Tony Ward and Mike DiSalvo. The critics have been unanimous in their praise for the production across the country. The Washington Post called the show “Theatrically irresistible...seductive...sends a chill up the spine!” while The Boston Globe enthused “The play grips you from the start and never lets up. It’s…a pleasure and a treasure after all these years.” In addition to the critical accolades for the show, TWELVE ANGRY MEN has been the recipient of several local awards for excellence including the Independent Reviewers of New England Best Visiting Production—Large Stage Award for the Boston engagement; Cincinnati’s Acclaim Award for Best Touring Production; and a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Non-resident Production (Washington, D.C.). “It’s highly unusual for a straight play to enjoy such tremendous success with touring audiences, and we are very excited that the demand for the show allows us to tour for a second year,” said Todd Haimes, Artistic Director of the Roundabout Theatre Company. “Audiences continue to respond to the play’s undeniable power – its themes and issues are still relevant a half century after it first appeared.” Synopsis In TWELVE ANGRY MEN, a young delinquent awaits sentencing for the manslaughter of his aggressive father. Twelve jurors are corralled in a room for their deliberations in a murder trial. One juror feels that there is a “reasonable doubt” – to the frustration of his eleven colleagues – thereby preventing a quick verdict. During the heated debate, the hidden preconceptions and assumptions of the jurors are revealed. When faced with playing the hangman, each juror is forced to face himself.
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