"I'll kill you! I'll kill you!" Determining the guilt of a young boy is no easy task, especially if the evidence, at a closer look, isn't sound. The pressure to make the right decision won't come easy. In a hot, stuffy room, 12 strangers hold the life of a young boy accused of murder in their hands. They bicker amongst themselves and tempers flare. It seems that they will never come to an agreement. Northwest High School's production of "Twelve Angry Jurors" is a courtroom drama, high in tension and theatrics.

Twelve Angry Men, a play by Reginald Rose, is adapted from his 1954 teleplay for CBS. It centers around 12 different jurors who must come to a verdict, 11 agree that the boy is guilty, 1 however, does not. She sows the seed of possible reasonable doubt, and with out her guilty verdict, the jurors face a hung jury.

Annabelle Gyngard portrays the determined Juror #8 who refuses to change her verdict to guilty. Her characterization is strong and she delivers each line precisely and with meaning. She faces the greatest opposition from Juror #3, played by Matt Arndt. Arndt grabs the attention with his powerful voice and excellent portrayal of a man tortured by the broken relationship with his son. The two work well together on the stage and they keep the energy going throughout the show. They play well off each other, which creates a tense and excited atmosphere.

Megan Wallace stood out as the rich, snooty Juror #4. Her depiction of an upper-class citizen was firm and zealous. Throughout the show, Wallace kept up her flare and created a convincing visual of a wealthy, unwavering juror who stood by what she believes in. On the contrary, Juror #2, played by Audrey Lipsmire, a juror who can't seem to make up her mind. Her swings from opinion to opinion seem genuine and her timid character creates an accurate portrayal of a nervous individual who follows the crowd.

The beginning of the play opened with a creative video that showed what had just happened before the jurors were sent to discuss a verdict. The clip was an imaginative way to lead into the opening act. The set used the stage space efficiently and allowed for a full view of the cast. It was constructed well and was artistic with hand painted designs.

The sound is a bit off at times and some actors are soft-spoken and difficult to hear, but the energy is high in the second half of the show and the players really developed a character for each individual. There is some awkward lighting and brief pauses between lines, but the actors made up for it by a fast paced ending and clear, well-delivered lines.

Northwest's "Twelve Angry Jurors" creates a realistic glimpse into the tension and drama associated with a jury split over the verdict. It blends 12 dissimilar characters, shuts them in a hot room, and lets the commotion begin. Real personalities come out when dealing with life or death.