MCC DRAMA DEPARTMENT PRESENTS ONE ACT PLAYS FOR THE PUBLIC

The Murray County Central drama department recently gave the final performance of its 2025 one act competition play called “Twelve Angry Jurors.”

For subsections on Saturday, Jan. 25 in Redwood Falls, MCC took second place and earned the right to compete at sections on Saturday, Feb. 2 in Tyler, where they finished fourth out of eight teams. “I thought we had our best performance at sections,” MCC director Isaac Harms said. “The kids really improved throughout the season as they honed in on their characters and really sought to make the most of every minute within the production.”

Morris Area won the section competition and advances to state, while RTR was second and Central Minnesota Christian was third.

MCC also performed “Twelve Angry Jurors” for the public on Thursday, Jan. 30 in the high school auditorium. A second one act play was also presented. “We did ‘Caution: Librarians Ahead’ as an additional play, so all students who wanted to participate could,” Harms said. “With the 20-member limitation for the competition, I wanted to offer a second play, so that everyone could experience a role on stage.”

The 20-student roster includes the actors, lights, sound and stage crew. Other one act restrictions include a 35-minute time limit, only 10 minutes to set up prior to performance and that everything has to be portable and fit in a 10x10 foot square. “Every play has its challenges, but this one was a bit unique in that the entire play is set in a jury room around a table,” Harms said. “This creates such a limitation and makes it difficult to keep the attention of the audience. We had to find ways to get movement throughout the play, having layers and dimensions with juror movement, so that it was engaging, yet believable, too.”

Harms added that another challenge was that all 12 jurors are visible and “stuck” on stage the entire time. “There isn’t an opportunity to exit offstage to get a break,” he said. “This creates a real challenge and necessity for the students to always be acting even when they aren’t speaking. I thought our actors did a fantastic job of accepting instruction and making the most of their character for the entirety of the 35-minute production.”

The competition play unfolds in a tense, overheated jury room, where a young man is on trial for murder, and a guilty verdict will mean the death penalty. As the jurors deliberate, their biases, personal struggles and prejudices start coming to light. “I’ve always appreciated the creativity of this classic story and the exploration into the importance of standing up for what’s true, even in the face of overwhelming social pressure,” Harms said. “It is a story that takes many twists and turns and has a very different outcome than what is initially perceived at the beginning of the play.”

The play highlights the importance of humility — acknowledging that first impressions and assumptions on any topic may not always be accurate. It’s a reminder that truth is separate from majority opinion, social norms and individual beliefs. To seek the truth in any aspect of life requires the courage to question our own beliefs and that of society. “As we desire to seek the truth above all things, it begins to shine a light and set us free from strongholds that restrict us,” Harms said.

Auditions took place in December, about a month after the MCC drama department wrapped up the musical “Oklahoma!” Daily practices then started in January, after Christmas break. “With our first competition being Jan. 25, we basically have three-and-a-half weeks to cram it in and make the most of our available practice times,” Harms said. “Coming off the fun and energetic musical ‘Oklahoma,’ the play ‘Twelve Angry Jurors’ was a nice contrast that challenges our student actors in an entirely different way. I was very proud of their efforts and performances for a very challenging production.”

The second play, “Caution: Librarians Ahead” included humor and had a surprise ending that got plenty of laughs. Andrew Holm portrayed Mr. Scandrett, while Lucas Kuball was cast as Mr. Freeman, both real-life principals for MCC. In the play, the school principals are dreading the process of conducting job interviews for a replacement for the retiring librarian. Due to budget restrictions, the school is hiring that lone position for the upcoming year.

While it is just one position, the candidates that apply turn out to be less than ideal. But after the principals and the six teacher interviewers were ready to throw their hands up in despair — even contemplating burning all the books — the real-life MCC Superintendent, Mr. Meyer, comes on stage and gives a message to the principals. It seems as though the funding fell through and that both of them will add to their duties by serving as librarians.

Students involved in one or both plays were: Walker Biren, Courtney Gengler, Logan Stoel, Annie Scandrett, Brecken Larson, Johanna Pickard, Evan Braun, Blaine Braun, Sophia Nelson, Agasi Nelson, Gabriel Gleis, Carter Knakmuhs, Lucas Kuball, Hadley Harms, William Biren, Ethan Nelson, Krystyna Betz, Wesley Hause, Morgan Heezen, Andrew Holm, Elaina Schreifels, Jaida Carlson, Lilly Gertsema, Ethan Parrie, Sofia Lee, Skylar Muck, and BR Heronimus.