Interactive Courtroom Drama Lets San Antonio Audiences Decide the Verdict
The Jury Experience, a 60-minute live production at the Magik Theatre, opens November 7 and has audience votes determine the outcome of each performance.
By Valentina Cruz ·
A new immersive production at the Magik Theatre will give San Antonio theatergoers a seat in the jury box. The Jury Experience opens November 7 and asks the audience to take part in a courtroom case rather than simply watch one.
The live show runs 60 minutes. Audience members vote on key procedural points during the performance and ultimately decide the fate of the accused. Because the outcome depends on how each crowd feels and votes, every performance is different. Production company Fever says the show is also meant to foster a sense of civic responsibility and pride.
Ahead of the staging, Fever commissioned the public opinion firm Ipsos to survey Americans about jury duty. The survey found that 62 percent of respondents said they would be willing to serve, a reassuring majority given that the American legal system rests on the right to a trial by a jury of one's peers. Far fewer, however, said they were actually excited about the prospect.
Respondents pointed to a feeling that the work is not impactful, as well as practical obstacles such as compensation, as reasons for their lack of enthusiasm. The producers hope the experimental theatrical format can help shift that outlook.
"Jury duty is one of the few civic responsibilities most of us will be asked to take on, yet many people have no idea what happens inside a courtroom," said Isabella Szpigiel, Head of The Jury Experience, in a release. "This data shows Americans are curious about the drama of a trial, especially hearing the evidence and reaching a verdict together."
Audience members cast their votes at the venue either by scanning a QR code or by raising a physical paddle. The concept resembles Jury Duty, Prime Video's hit reality series, with one key difference: here, the audience is in on the ruse.
That does not mean attendees will know what to expect from the case itself. Its subject matter includes descriptions or portrayals of violence, grief, substance use, domestic violence, medical injury and emotional manipulation, so viewer discretion is advised. For true crime enthusiasts, the production offers a way to see the kind of stories found in their favorite podcasts brought to life.
The Jury Experience runs from November 7 to December 4 at the Magik Theatre, 420 S. Alamo St. Tickets cost $29.01 each and can be purchased online.
Originally published by News Media House · Source: CultureMap San Antonio
