Jurist Steve Bromm, played by Ryan Sukys, falls asleep during the trial.

‘Ladies of the Jury’ entertains
Magnificat High School audience
By Danielle Toth
Insights
Published May 5, 2010

Magnificat High School brought the roaring ’20s to life in its recent theatrical production “Ladies of the Jury.”

Set in a small town in 1929, the play opens with the selection of a final juror in a murder case. This juror, the wealthy, eccentric Mrs. Livingston Baldwin Crane, played by sophomore Grace Leneghan, amusingly interrupts the dramatic proceedings with her polite questions. The other jurors, ranging from the Irish jig-dancing Mrs. McGuire, played by Rachel Gibbons, to the strong-willed Jay J. Pressley, played by Cody Mason, only add to the hilarity.

The students, who include male actors from St. Ignatius and St. Edward high schools, stepped out of their comfort zones. While the male actors played male roles, some of Magnificat’s female actors convincingly took on male roles, such as Nicole DeAnna as officer Bill Dobbs and Maggie Myers as attorney Rutherford Dale.

When the jurors leave the courtroom to begin their deliberations, Mrs. Crane, the lone not guilty vote, feigns innocence as she changes the jurors’ minds one by one. She influences Scotsman Andrew MacKaig, played by Elizabeth Sweeney, by buying him a steak dinner and hiring him as her gardener. She influences Alonzo Beal and Cynthia Tate, played by James Krueger and Sarah Hiti, respectively, by buying them dinner and providing a table so the two lovers can dine alone.

The comedy, written by Fred Ballard, is a three-act play that had much success on Broadway and has featured many distinguished actresses throughout its many performances, including Edna May Oliver as Mrs. Crane in 1932. The cast and crew of Magnificat’s rendition numbered more than 50. Students learned the language of the ’20s and researched related topics, including politics, sports, fashion, women’s roles, prohibition, religion, architecture and Broadway drama.

Jurists Tony Theodophulus and Mayme Mixter, played by Jack McClain and Stephanie Black, respectively, use ping pong as a metaphor for the other jurists arguing back and forth. (West Life photos by Larry Bennet)

The theme of Magnificat’s 2010 theatrical season was justice. The fall musical, “Ragtime,” followed three families and illustrated racial and social tensions in the early 1900s. The biographical one-act “The Remarkable Susan” followed Susan B. Anthony and the suffrage movement.

Director Amy Smialek has performed in local productions and is a member of the English department at Magnificat High School. The technical director was Tim King. Costumes and props were under the direction of Mary Papa.