On Theater:

You’d never know it by watching the highly involving revival now on stage at Vanguard University, but “12 Angry Jurors” dates back to a 1954 production of TV’s Studio One, three years before Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb squared off in the now-classic movie version, both titled “12 Angry Men.”

With some judicious tinkering by its author, the estimable Reginald Rose, this jury room drama now is evenly divided — six men and six women — and director Susan Berkompas’ superior Vanguard production crackles, in most respects, with the immediacy of today. Certainly the crucial Fonda and Cobb roles are in superb hands.

Beyond these to-die-for assignments, however, “12 Angry Jurors” is first and foremost an ensemble piece, and Vanguard’s dedicated dozen do their utmost to gradually — and repeatedly — raise the tension level to the boiling point.

A man has been stabbed to death, his teen-age son is accused of the crime and it is up to these contentious jurors to determine his guilt or innocence. As most playgoers are aware, the odds are 11 to 1 for conviction, but the lone holdout persuades his colleagues, one by one, to reconsider until the two principal antagonists are locked in psychological combat.

Ryan Miller, in the Fonda role of the stubborn holdout, deals from a plane of logic and reason, offsetting the emotional outbursts of several other jurors. His character’s basic humanity is contagious and Miller skillfully raises the consciousness levels of the others in an excellent portrayal.

The performance of the night, however, comes from Donna Simon Johnson in the Cobb incarnation, an embittered woman with a grudge against teenagers in general based on her own parenting experience. Johnson brilliantly tackles the play’s most challenging role and brandishes her character’s innate resentment with ferocious venom.

Another impressive rendition is turned in by Ashley Danno as an elderly juror whose quiet observations help turn the tide. Lucas Moore also scores as the brash baseball fan whose “who cares?” attitude rankles his fellow jurors.

Katelyn Spurgin is fine as a cool, collected Wall Street executive requiring inconvertible proof to sway her opinion. Michael Dye neatly underplays the timid but earnest juror, while Paige Murray and Reeni Lindblom successfully tackle New York accents for their blunt characterizations.

Jolene Grubbs injects some Madison Avenue humor into her advertising professional character, while Zach Simons skillfully enacts a foreign-born juror teeming with gritty integrity and purpose. Aaron Paul Wheeler strives to keep some semblance of order as the jury foreman.

Vanguard’s production ebbs only in the performance of Katie Farmer as the bigoted woman whose vitriol about “those people” enrages the others. This is a difficult assignment, one that requires far more negative conviction to be truly effective.

Fifty-five years after television audiences first witnesses it, and no matter how familiar the characters have become, “12 Angry Jurors” is a gripping emotional experience, splendidly reenacted at Vanguard University.

If You Go

What: “12 Angry Jurors”

Where: Vanguard University, 55 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa

When: 8 p.m. tonight and Nov. 6, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and Nov. 7, and 2 p.m. Sunday and Nov. 8.

Cost: $12 and $14

Call: (714) 668-6145

TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot.