Scott Ellis (1776, She Loves Me) directs the new staging of the classic Reginald Rose jury-room drama which began previews Oct. 1, 2004 and opened Oct. 28 at the American Airlines Theatre. The seven-time extended staging was originally slated for a limited engagement through Dec. 19. It will have played 229 performances when it ends May 15.
The company recently announced the Ellis staging will embark on a national tour — featuring the same design team — to be presented in association with Clear Channel Entertainment slated for a 2006-2007 season start. Washington D.C.'s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is the only stop announced thus far. Casting will begin in the fall.
Roundabout now releases word that Bill Kenwright (currently represented on Broadway by The Glass Menagerie) will team to present a production in London's West End in Fall 2006.
Set in a jury room,Twelve Angry Men tells the story of a murder trial in which a youth is alleged to have killed his father. The case seems like an open-and-shut situation as eleven of the unnamed jurors believe the defendant to be guilty. Juror #8, however, is not so certain, stirring up the room and setting off a number of arguments.
The anonymous deciding dozen are currently Mark Blum, Robert Foxworth, James Rebhorn, Michael Mastro, Robert Clohessy, John Pankow, Boyd Gaines, Tom Aldredge, Peter Friedman, Byron Jennings and Adam Trese. Matte Osian plays a guard. Twelve Angry Men has proven the most popular Roundabout staging at its current home, the American Airlines Theatre, since the company's reopening of the venue in 2000. The Rose drama will have outrun the longest running production in the space by more than two times: the 2001 revival of Clare Boothe Luce's The Women — starring Kristen Johnston, Cynthia Nixon and Jennifer Tilly played 13 weeks. By May 15, Twelve Angry Men will have played 32 weeks. (The former Selwyn Theatre was home to the long-running Edna Ferber and George S. Kaufman 1927 comedy The Royal Family which played 345 performances.)
Tickets to Twelve Angry Men at the American Airlines Theatre, 227 West 42 Street are available by calling (212) 719-1300. For more information, visit www.roundabouttheatre.org.
