NOTE: “Today” and “tonight” refer to Friday, Nov. 6.
SEQUIM — A young man, just 19, is on trial for the fatal stabbing of his father.
As the people who will decide his fate walk into the jury room, the story’s ending seems clear.
“He doesn’t stand a chance,” mutters the guard.
Hold on. This is no open-and-shut case. Another young man proceeds to open the eyes of his fellow jurors to a reality heretofore unseen.
These are “Twelve Angry Jurors,” to come alive in the voices of young people in Sequim High School’s all-school play opening tonight.
Robin Hall, in her first production since suffering a heart attack and undergoing bypass surgery last summer, co-directs the play, which has just four performances:
■ 7 p.m. tonight and Saturday.
■ 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13.
■ 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14.
Admission at the Sequim High School Performing Arts Center, 601 N. Sequim Ave., will be $8 for general seating and $6 for seniors and students with an ASB card.
“I’ve always had this play in the back of my mind,” Hall said.
“I was so intrigued with the characters . . . I wanted to teach acting skills, and I’m very, very proud of the kids.”
Juror No. 8
Hunter Cauffman, a senior at Sequim High, portrays Juror No. 8, the role Henry Fonda made famous in the 1957 movie “Twelve Angry Men.”
“This is a big step up for him,” said Christy Rutherford, who co-directs the play along with Robin Hall and her husband, Jeff Hall.
Cauffman, who marks his 18th birthday this weekend, played Sasha in “Fiddler on the Roof,” Sequim High’s spring operetta, and Charley in the school’s comedy “Charley’s Aunt” last year.
“Twelve Angry Jurors” is another ballgame, a story that explores the U.S. justice system and the way people from differing backgrounds interact in a pressurized situation.
“It’s such a well-written play; it’s really making the kids think,” Hall said, adding that “Twelve” likewise offers the audience a rich experience.
The 90-minute performance doesn’t show the trial, she noted, but it does depict how Juror No. 8 changes the others’ minds about what unfolded.
“What I found inspiring about the character is that he stands for something, even though he is constantly being harassed and ridiculed by almost everyone,” Cauffman said.
“This play isn’t like most of the plays we put on; it is a pretty serious play. Granted, there are some funny moments,” he added.
Cast members
Robin Hall’s 15-year-old son Tommy Hall, a freshman at Sequim High, portrays the guard while Victoria Hall, her 16-year-old daughter, is one of the jurors.
Sequim High students Damien Cundiff, Jack Dismore, Ryan Macedo, Niki McElhose, Betsy Merrikin, Samuel Obermeyer, Katie Potter, Brittney Rives, Gabi Simonson and Mercedes Woods complete the jury.
The performers have various levels of experience as they tackle sharply individualized roles, Rutherford noted.
Since rehearsals began in September, she and the Halls have been impressed.
“They’re all holding their own,” Robin said.
The co-director, for her part, said she’s not feeling 100 percent recovered. But she wanted to come back to work.
“I feel at home in the theater. I have a lot of help,” she added.
“My husband is really good, and my best friend Christy Rutherford is with me.”
For more information about the all-school play, phone Sequim School District communications director Patsene Dashiell at 360-582-3264.
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
