It’s a coming of age story set against a backdrop of racism and small town secrets.
Theater to Go presents To Kill a Mockingbird at Mercer County Community College’s Kelsey Theatre Fridays, March 17 and 24 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, March 18 and 25 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, March 19 and 26 at 2 p.m.
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1960 novel by Harper Lee and adapted for the stage by Christopher Sergel, the story of tomboy Scout Finch unfolds as she observes her father, lawyer Atticus Finch, take on the most controversial case of his career.
Set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama in 1935, Atticus is preparing for the trial of Tom Robinson, a young Black man unjustly accused of raping a young white woman. As Atticus strives to prove Tom’s innocence against daunting odds, Scout learns about the imperative to do what is right over what is easy. These lessons in courage, compassion and hope are ones that she—and the audience—are unlikely to forget.
“When this book was released, it had particular resonance due to the growing Civil Rights Movement,” Director Ruth Markoe said. “It speaks to issues we still face in America today—inequality, justice, hopelessness and the need for compassion.”
Theater To Go will also present a companion piece on Saturday, March 25 at 2 p.m. when acclaimed actress Prudence Wright Holmes presents a solo show, “The Secret Life of Harper Lee.”
Lee was a reclusive figure and, in this solo show, audience members will learn of her close relationships with her father and her childhood friend, Truman Capote, both of whom ultimately broke her heart.
Holmes has appeared in numerous films and Broadway productions alongside some of today’s most well-known stars. She wrote and performed her critically-acclaimed solo show Bexley, OH! at New York Theatre Workshop. She is currently touring her solo show Call Me William, the Life and Loves of Willa Cather, as well as her interactive murder mystery, Agatha is Missing.
Tickets for To Kill a Mockingbird are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and $14 for students. Tickets for The Secret Life of Harper Lee are $15 for all. Tickets for both shows are available at kelseytheatre.net or by calling the Kelsey Theatre Box Office at (609) 570-3333.
From left, Atticus Finch (Tim Anderson) with Tom Robinson on the stand (Malik Abdul Khaaliq), Prosecutor Gilmer (Fred Dennehy) and Judge Taylor (Jeffrey Millstein).,
