When I was 12 years old I made my debut and final appearance in a musical at the same time. I was a member of the chorus in Gilbert And Sullivan's terrific one act operetta "Trial By Jury".
I was tone deaf.
It left the director, who also happened to be portraying the Judge, and was also the Principal of the High School I was performing for, Bartie Knight, in a G&S type quandary: I was tone deaf, but he wanted to include everybody. What to do? Mr. Knight made me a member of the Jury and had me lip synch the words.
The operetta itself is similar, a breach of marriage contract where the Jury, the Judge, the jilted Bride and indolent Groom, all come together to make a mockery of the British legal system.
"Trial By Jury" was a huge hit in 1875 and orchestrated the age of Gilbert And Sullivan.
And it was the last word in judicial stupidit -until I ended up sued myself and was found not guilty.
Which leads me back to Gilbert And Sullivan… here is something to give you a taste of trails by jury.