'To Kill a Mockingbird' a must-see for all, starring Richard Thomas of John-Boy fame

One of the most beloved characters in American literature, lawyer Atticus Finch, comes alive at Playhouse Square in the national tour of Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird," starring celebrated actor Richard Thomas.

Thomas, 70, plays the small-town lawyer who fights against racial injustice in Maycomb, Alabama, in Aaron Sorkin's stage adaptation of Harper Lee's classic novel.

Thomas, best know as John-Boy in the TV drama "The Waltons" in the '70s, received applause from the Playhouse Square audience during his entrance as Atticus Wednesday night. He last performed on tour in Cleveland in "The Humans" in 2018.

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In this beautiful production, which both does justice to the novel and also fleshes out some key characters more, the storytelling is compelling and nimbly paced. At the same time, it also allows the characters and the audience to breathe in both the weighty and beautiful moments.

The stage production, set in 1934, follows lawyer Atticus as he defends Black man Tom Robinson from false accusations of raping a white woman in the Depression-era Deep South.

Lee's novel, loosely based on people and events from her childhood in Monroeville, Alabama, is considered one of the greatest novels of all time. It won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize.

Sorkin's stage adaptation, which premiered on Broadway in 2018, has the story's three children — Scout, Jem and Dill — narrating the story, departing from the sole narrator Scout in the novel. This dramatic technique makes Atticus the heart of the story and puts the drama's trial front and center.

In a departure from the long depictions of childhood play in the book, this stage show gets to Tom's trial quickly and jumps back and forth in time. "To Kill a Mockingbird," a play about racial injustice and the loss of childhood innocence, includes mature subject matter, racial slurs and prop guns.

Young adults Melanie Moore, Justin Mark and Steven Lee Johnson play children Scout, brother Jem and friend Dill with great believability. They create the mannerisms and speech of kids but also bring out this trio's great intelligence and inquisitiveness.

Of special note is the fiercely funny Moore, who creates a tiny yet fiery presence as Scout. Her Scout often leads the charge with Jem in their protectiveness of their lawyer father, who becomes threatened and ostracized by others in the community.

During the trial scenes, the three kids hover around the action as onlookers. One of Moore's most memorable moments comes when Scout, as if looking back into her memories, comes close to Tom's accuser Mayella Ewell and stares hard at her after Mayella has a big outburst.

Arianna Gayle Stucki creates a chilling portrayal of young Mayella, looking dead in the eyes and assuming the cowering posture of a battered woman.

The excellent Thomas creates a dry, bemused style as Atticus, whom Scout describes as the most honest, decent person in Maycomb. Atticus chooses to battles racial injustice in his own quiet, gentlemanly way.

But in this stage adaptation, it becomes much more apparent that even Atticus is flawed. He reaches his breaking point in a new scene where he uses ugly language and resorts to physical force against an antagonist.

"To Kill a Mockingbird" is full of graceful storytelling and scene changes, set to original music by Adam Guettel featuring organ hymns. The set by Miriam Buether is remarkable, with a big Finch porch that comes together in two halves featuring a suspended roof, window and door. The distressed, decaying-looking back wall of the courtroom is present in every scene.

In this show, we don't see a fire at the neighbor's house and Aunt Alexandra does not inhabit the Finch home, both of which are in the book. And without the child characters constantly fixating on mysterious neighbor Boo Radley, he becomes a smaller presence in the story.

Sorkin creates new dialogue that thankfully helps us to know key characters better. That includes the falsely accused Tom, played with quiet dignity Yaegel T. Welch, who in his first meeting with lawyer Atticus asks him to let him speak and then shares his fears for his children.

Black cook Calpurnia, played by the wonderfully dry Jacqueline Williams, also stands on more equal footing with Atticus, challenging him and ribbing him in a way that Scout describes as like a sibling relationship. Strengthening both her personality and their relationship to one that goes beyond servant-employer adds more depth to this story.

Sorkin also builds on young Dill's background, creating added layers of loneliness and sadness for the boy who visits Maycomb each summer.

Other noted additions to the cast are deaf actor Anthony Natale, who signs much of his dialogue as witness Link Deas, and actress Mary Badham, who played young Scout in the 1962 film, on stage now as hateful old lady Mrs. Henry Dubose.

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The storytelling falters only with a rushed account of an attack on Atticus' children in the pitch-black night. We don't see the attack and the initial description of the violence comes across as a postscript to the story rather than a major, shocking moment.

That being said, this fine production of Lee's great American classic is a must-see that includes plenty of love and humor. It's heartening to know that 18,000 New York City public school students saw the play in New York's Madison Square Garden less than a month before the 2020 COVID-19 shutdown, creating the largest attendance at a single performance of a play ever.

Arts and restaurant writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.

Details

Drama: "To Kill a Mockingbird"

Where: Connor Palace, Playhouse Square, Cleveland

When: Continuing through May 15, 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays

Onstage: Starring Richard Thomas, Melanie Moore, Jacqueline Williams, Justin Mark, Yaegel T. Welch, Steven Lee Johnson

Offstage: Aaron Sorkin, adaptation; based on the novel by Harper Lee; Bartlett Sher, director; Adam Guettel, original music; Miriam Buether, scenic designer; Ann Roth, costume designer; Jennifer Tipton, lighting designer; Scott Lehrer, sound designer; Brian L'Ecuyer, production stage manager; Sari Ketter, associate director; Kimberly Grigsby, music director; Campbell Young Associates, hair and wig design

Cost: $20-$129

Information: playhousesquare.org or 216-241-6000

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 'Mockingbird' full of beautiful storytelling, masterful performances