The Night of January 16th

Performances

December 10, 1937

Venue

Majestic Theatre

Synopsis

“The Night of January 16th” takes place entirely in a courtroom during a murder trial. One unusual feature of the play was that members of the audience were selected to take on the role of the jury. Relying on character testimony, this jury had to vote on whether the “defendant” was guilty or not guilty. Depending upon the verdict, the play could have a different ending each time it was performed.

Author: Ayn Rand

Historian’s Corner

In the play “The Night of January 16th” the jury was selected from members of the audience. Among the jury selected for this show were a number of Bloomington-Normal dignataries such as doctors, lawyers, prominent businessmen, and the Sheriff of McLean County. The final rehearsal was held in The McLean County Court House in one of the court chambers.