OnStage: Mockingbird still relevant
Written by Johnmark Wiley | 
I first became familiar with Harper Lee, as most of us did, in high school, and I reread Lee's masterpiece in 2005 as part of All Pueblo Reads. The play takes place in 1935 in the small town Maycomb, Alabama, loosely based on Lee's hometown of Monroeville, Alabama. It tells the story of a black man who is falsely accused of rape and the white attorney who is appointed by the court to defend him.
The set for this production was simple but also quite innovative. The small set changed from the front porches of two small Alabama homes to a busy courtroom, complete with balcony, and back to the front yard at night with a large full moon hanging overhead. The sound and lighting flowed perfectly from scene to scene. The set, however, seemed almost unnecessary because I could not take eyes off the exceptional cast.
William Hall Jr., who played The Good Reverend Sykes, has an extensive resume spanning over 35 years. Hall spoke each line as if it were his own in a performance that could rival any actor currently on Broadway or in Hollywood.
Jennifer Fleming-Lovely, who played Jem Finch, and Heather Schmidt, who played Dill Harris, delivered two unforgettable performances. Both women played roles originally written for males, a challenge for any actor. However, these young thespians did not disappoint and were obviously cast because of their ability to handle the roles.
But this play was all about the relationship between condemned prisoner Tom Robinson, played by Robert Karma Robinson, and his public defender, played by Mikel MacDonald. You felt real sorrow in the voice Robinson as he tried to defend himself against a crime of which the public had already convicted him. And as MacDonald gave closing arguments as Atticus Finch, real tears fell from his face and most of the audience of 300 was moved to tears.
What is even more remarkable is that this cast is on a second nationwide tour. The original run of this show was slated to close last spring, but because of its popularly, it hit the road again. Being packed in a bus with 25 other people on a countrywide tour might fray the nerves of any actor, but each of them performed as if they had their own trailer. William Hall Jr. concurred, saying, "It takes a special kind of person to be able to perform at this level on the road. This group is one of the most professional that I've ever worked with."
In many ways, our modern society has changed a lot from the 1930s. However, with the recent downturn in the economy-similar in many ways to the beginning of the great depression, and with unpopular and seemingly unending wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, this play serves as a testament to how far we as a culture still have to go. As Company Manager, Katie Hanson, put it, "If we can only look at the mistakes of our past bigotry and hatred, we can move towards a very bright future."
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