![]() ![]() At one point, Atticus turns away from the jury and to us, the audience, pleading us to seek justice and peace. ![]() Richard Thomas delivers a brilliant portrayal of a man who has a strong moral compass and whose flawed humanity is made more keenly evident by Sorkin's writing. Of the creative aspects, special mention must be given to Miriam Buether's scenic design which, is simplistic yet effective, and Ann Roth's costumes which lovingly harken back to the 1962 film. Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher continues his career of beautiful and heart-felt storytelling, taking a well-known work and giving it a fresh perspective. Having the play introduce the trial at the very beginning brings a dramatic tension that takes longer to unfold in previous iterations. There are many moments of dialogue that may eerily remind viewers of our current racial and political climate. Sorkin has also considered how beloved both the book and its film adaptation are, while at the same time making it something new that speaks to the present. He has taken the novel, which is primarily dominated by the perspective of Scout, and added Jem and Dill who share equal narration throughout. What unfolds is an unfortunate truth that has plagued our justice system for centuries.Īaron Sorkin has done a splendid job in adapting the book to the stage. The story unfolds through the eyes of the two children along with their friend Dill Harris (a very funny Steven Lee Johnson) as they tell of the trial and the events that followed. The family also has an African American cook by the name of Calpurnia (Jacqueline Williams) who is as much a part of the family as the others. A widower, Atticus lives with his two children, Jean Louise Finch (who goes by the nickname "Scout") portrayed by Melanie Moore, and Jeremy "Jem" (Justin Mark). ![]() And, though the town's white citizens strongly disapprove, he agrees to take on the case. Tom's case has been appointed to the council of Atticus Finch (Richard Thomas of "The Waltons" fame). This adaptation strays from others as it begins early on with the trial–that of Tom Robinson (performed heartbreakingly by Glenn Fleary on the night of attendance), an African American man who has been accused of raping a young white woman, Mayella Ewell (an equally effective Arianna Gayle Stucki). The story, which tackles heavy subjects such as rape and racial injustice, is loosely based on Harper Lee's own childhood growing up in Monroeville, Alabama, in the 1930s. A new adaptation for the stage by Aaron Sorkin opened on Broadway in 2018 to critical acclaim, and the touring production is playing the Durham Performing Arts Center through August 7. Many are familiar with the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1960 novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, or the Academy Award-winning film two years later. ![]()
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