THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 15, 1994 TAG: 9409140168
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
Where were you on the night of Jan. 16?
The jury will decide.
It happened that way 25 years ago and will happen again Nov. 17-19 when the Franklin Little Theatre reprises its initial production.
The courtroom drama is unique theater because it involves the audience - 12 of them anyway, letting them decide the outcome of the production.
``The Night of January 16th'' is being cast - and a large cast it is.
If you want to be one of the more than 20 adults involved, or if you want to work backstage, join the Franklin Little Theatre as it opens its 25th season with a Kick-Off Party Monday at Fred's Restaurant.
It is an opportunity to recruit new members and to discuss the group's activities.
The play will be a major part of the discussion. Producer Kathy Panikowski and director Bill Hiltner will be on hand to talk about casting requirements, audition procedures and to sign those who want to work backstage.
Auditions will be held at 7:30 p.m., Sept. 20 and 21, in the Franklin High School auditorium.
The Kick-Off Party is also a good time to renew, or begin, a Franklin Little Theatre membership. The $10 annual cost entitles you to a reserved seating area season ticket, plus a savings in the ticket price.
``The Night of January 16th'' focuses on the trial of a corporate executive assistant accused of murdering her ruthless boss, who also was her lover.
As the drama unfolds, a parade of witnesses provide frequently conflicting testimony, creating plot twists and turns.
The outcome rests in the hands of the jury.
The jurors, selected from the audience, sit in a jury box next to the stage, listening to the evidence from the prosecution and the defense. During Act III, they retire to an off-stage jury room to make their decision, later announcing their verdict.
The play has multiple endings to accommodate the jury's verdict. MEMO: For information about the Kick-Off Party and/or the production, call Ken
Raybuck at 562-6496. by CNB