Fans of the classic film “12 Angry Men” are in for a treat when the Luverne High School Theater Department performs “12 Incompetent Jurors” later this week.

The play, directed by Casey McKenzie, is a comedy and parody of the famous film starring Henry Fonda.

Instead of a deeply serious case of a teen charged with murder, the eccentric jurors of this play are tasked with declaring a verdict on an open-and-shut case of cat theft.

“We have our 12 jurors, and this group seems a bit more unhinged than your average jury,” McKenzie said.

“There’s a wide variety of characters, and exactly one normal person in the room.”

Shenanigans and humor ensue as the lone sane juror tries to carry the rest of the jury past the finish line.

The 12 jurors are played by Christopher Severns, Kai Berning, Paige Kubesh, Abbigail Hoobler, Arlo Hogan, Taedra McKenzie, Oliver Carbonneau, Kaidyn Mundt, Lucie Mardis, Eli Kinsinger, Hadian Alinizi and Charlotte Happeny.

A number of students will also help backstage, with props, sound, lights and more.

“It’s been great to work with kids this age,” McKenzie said. “Their energy is constant.”

He also praised the actors’ memorization skills and their dedication to their roles.

“They memorize their lines so quickly, and when the adults are getting tired, they’re still going strong.”

This play is the first that McKenzie will be directing for the high school, taking the reins from Shawn Kinsinger who had to step down from the role last spring due to health reasons.

“Shawn has spent so many years building up the (high school) theater program. I didn’t want to see that go away, so I said I was willing to step in and fill the gap.”

McKenzie has a degree in theater and a long history with the local Green Earth Players community theater group.

As such, he was a natural choice for the role, and he shared his gratitude for being able to work with such talented young actors.

“They’ve been fantastic to work with and the energy has been amazing,” he said.

Performances for “12 Incompetent Jurors” are set for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22, Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24.

Tickets will be $5 for students and $8 for adults. Activity passes will also allow entry.