Theatre AACC tackles prejudice, morality and the American justice system in a bold performance of “12 Angry Jurors,” opening Friday night in Kauffman Theater. 

“12 Angry Jurors,” a gender-neutral adaptation of screenwriter Reginald Rose’s courtroom drama “12 Angry Men,” which first showed on television in 1954.

The play at its core involves people sitting in a room arguing with each other, but Theatre AACC kept the tension, and my attention, held tight.

The most entertaining part of the play for me wasn’t the bitter arguments, the witty comments or even the cleverly unfolding mystery of the murder. Instead, it was the actors while they weren’t talking. All 12 jurors, and occasionally one police officer, kept fascinating dynamics among both each other and the set.

The show was people-watching at its peak. Watching the actors in the background bustle around, talking to each other and interacting with the props around the stage, kept the experience immersive and engrossing.

The intense emotions of the jurors, especially antagonist Juror No. 3, portrayed by theater student Nathan Garcia, showcased the strength of the students’ acting skills. 

The scene where the jurors made their final decision was the strongest moment of the whole show. As the actors somberly left the stage, filing out one-by-one, I felt chills go down my spine.

The set for a play like this has to be impeccable, as the entire show takes place in one room, and the production team surpassed my expectations. It was the most elaborate set of the three Theatre AACC productions I’ve seen.

At times, the long discussions about the role of a jury and granular details of the court case could be a bit dry, but the actors managed to keep me from losing interest.

“12 Angry Jurors” is a tricky play to pull off, but the cast and crew succeeded with an intriguing, entertaining show.

“Jurors” will run Friday and Saturday, as well as Nov. 10-11, at 8 p.m., and Nov. 5 and 12 at 2 p.m.