Photo courtesy of Mark Wilmes
Michael Van Keulen of Marshall (Juror #8, left) and Stu Melby of Brookings (Juror #3) face off in a scene from “12 Angry Jurors,” opening this weekend at the RTR Performing Arts Center.
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TYLER — Thirteen local actors will be on the stage this weekend when “12 Angry Jurors” opens for a three-show run at the RTR Performing Arts Center, with performances Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Tickets are available at the door.
Michael Van Kuelen of Marshall plays Juror #8, who finds himself in the lonely position of casting the sole “not guilty” vote when the jurors convene.
“I was pretty active in theater in high school and some in college, but I stepped away for a number of years,” Van Keulen said. “Over the past 15 years, I have had the chance to return to the stage, mostly as a part of Marshall Area Stage Company (MASC) and SMSU productions. I would say my two favorite productions were “The Addams Family” and “Spamalot.” I had the wonderful opportunity to act with my daughter and my son, respectively. So, those have been the most memorable, and both plays were just a lot of fun.”
Van Keulen said that Juror #8 has a quiet confidence about him.
“He is passionate but humble, confident but very empathetic. His is not an easy path, as it is clear from the outset that the entire jury is against him. His resolve and quiet determination continue to build throughout the play, and I really enjoy leaning into that strength of character.”
Van Keulen feels that in many ways, this show is timeless.
“None of the characters have names, so we can really see parts of ourselves in many of them,” Van Keulen said. “The theme of striving for a just verdict, even though it can be a messy process fraught with stops and starts, anger and prejudice, is truly a human virtue that we all can appreciate. We have a wonderful cast of people from all around southwestern Minnesota. It is a classic piece of American drama and something everyone needs to see at least once!”
Among the stars of the production is Crystal Enga, pre-school teacher at Lake Benton Elementary. Crystal is familiar to area residents after appearing in many productions, including starring roles in “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Grease” and “Footloose.”
“I started doing theater shows in third grade and have never stopped,” Enga said. “Throughout my show experience I have done all aspects of theater at some point. Most recently I directed Tyler Arts Council’s production of ‘Pan!’ My favorite play I have done is ‘Dial M for Murder.’”
Enga plays Juror #1 in “12 Angry Jurors,” who is the foreman of the jury.
“My character is in charge of the jury, and tries her best to keep order in the room,” Enga said. “She takes the case and her authority amongst the jurors very seriously.”
Enga said the best part of being in the production is the people with whom she gets to work.
“Everyone on stage is so incredibly talented, and Mark Wilmes is doing a great job at directing all of us. The show tells a very real story that people can relate too. There are 12 very unique jurors in the room who come from all backgrounds and experiences, and every person in the audience will be able to relate to at least one of the jurors on stage.”
Stu Melby of Brookings, South Dakota is also familiar to area theater enthusiasts, having done around 50 community theater productions in Brookings, Lake Benton, Pipestone, Watertown, Sioux Falls and others. His favorite plays have been “The Odd Couple,” which he has done four different times, most recently starring opposite of George Jorgensen’s Felix Unger, as well as “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Of Mice and Men,” and “I Oughta be in Pictures,” starring with his daughter Katie.
“Usually I’m cast as a loudmouth, opinionated, but well-intentioned character,” Melby said. “My wife claims I am usually cast correctly. My role as juror #3 in ’12 Angry Jurors’ match some of my normal character traits I have done before, but more intense with less a sense of humor.”
Melby said “12 Angry Jurors” is a study in characters struggling to understand a confusing decision they have to make — determining a young man’s fate,
“Come see local actors take on a wonderful play,” Melby said. “Dramatic, serious, yet very entertaining.”
Joe DeVries of Tyler is the youngest cast member.
“I’ve been in four plays, this being the fifth,” Joe DeVries said. “My favorite play I’ve done is ‘Clue’ for RTR High School, as I enjoyed the building of the set.”
In explaining why people should see the show, DeVries gives a very Joe DeVries-type explanation.
“Because it’s like a pizza. It’s got a topping of funny bits and actions on a nice well-written story and good-acting cheese on a serious and deep-story crust.”
Make sure you come hungry.
The cast of “12 Angry Jurors” also includes Betty Andries of Marshall, Lori Sanderson of Lake Benton, Sophie Blagdon of Tyler, Stacy Abraham of Cottonwood, Sandy Hanson of Tyler, Joe Dagel of Lake Wilson, Carrie Enga of Marshall, Kayla Lindberg of Redwood Falls and Diego Solderholm of Lake Benton. The show is produced and directed by Mark Wilmes of Tyler.
General Admission tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students.