To Kill a Mockingbird on Stage
It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird. Why, because they do us no harm; the only thing they do is sing their hearts out for us.
That innocence of right and wrong set the tone for Harper Lee’s magnificent novel, To Kill a Mockingbird.
The novel is a very thinly disguised autobiography, with Harper Lee as the narrator Jean Louise “Scout” Finch and her dear childhood friend, Truman Capote, as Charles Baker “Dill” Harris, as it tells a coming of age story in the deep south. Although the novel was not predicted to do well in sales, it won a Pulitzer Prize, and has never been out of print since it was first published in 1960. Surpassed only by the Bible, it is the book most often cited as having changed someone’s life.
In 1962 the book was made into a movie, starring Gregory Peck as the ethical and deliberative lawyer, Atticus Finch.
I LOVED this book, and I LOVE this movie. When I first read it as a child, it had a profound impact on my life. It shaped my notion of justice, fair play, ethics, doing the right thing even when it’s difficult, and the importance of speaking out against wrongs. Simply put, I wanted to be Atticus Finch.
This powerful story has now been adapted for the stage, and opens this week at Seattle’s Intiman Theatre.
Location: Intiman Theatre, 201 Mercer Street (map it), Seattle Center.
Dates & Times: Opening Night September 19th, 7:30 pm. Performances run through October 28th. Sunday-Thursday performances are at 7:30 pm on weekdays, 8 pm on weekends, and 2pm weekend matinees. You’ll find a full schedule of dates and times here.
Tickets: Price ranged from $10 – $50, which includes a variety of discounts, and are available online and through the Intiman Theatre Ticket Office at (206)269-1900.
NOTE: Over the years, To Kill a Mockingbird has consistently been on the banned books list, and has been considered controversial because of its themes of race and rape. While I believe there is an important lesson to be learned from this story, parents may wish to use discretion in deciding whether this performance is suitable for all ages. It is also a great story for more in depth discussions on these themes with teens and pre-teens.
This book changed by life. Did it have a similar impact on anyone else?
_______________________________________________________
Comments Off