Theater Review: A Heartfelt And Impressive ‘Mockingbird’ At Drama Guild

 There are so many life lessons in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird" that it's tough to zero in on just one. Watching Scout and Jem on the brink of "growing up” by observing their lawyer father Atticus’s logic and wisdom, dealing with and understanding life’s injustices and how to accept another person's choices are just a few of the story’s themes. 

 It’s the middle of the Great Depression and in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, poverty, racism and ignorance are a part of everyday life. In the Deep South, the white man’s voice was the only voice, even when it’s spouting lies. 

 Harper Lee’s story follows the two children of attorney Atticus Finch. Atticus sees injustice and wants to do something about it. People like him change our everyday lives because he questions the norms that are unjust, unfair and wrong. Finch takes on cases for everyone and anyone. Even the ones he knows will be difficult to win. 

The movie was powerful, and most of us who have seen it were changed by it. Revisit its uplifting and weighty message at the Chatham Drama Guild with “To Kill A Mockingbird” the play, based on Lee’s novel and adapted by Christopher Sergel. Kudos to co-directors Pam Banas and Anna Marie Johansen’s cohesive direction and casting. This is a superb production. 

My theater companion couldn’t wait to text me when she got home about the play. 

 “The actors, especially Beau Jackett as Atticus, offered beautifully understated performances that let the audience discover the layers of social complexity for themselves and feel the subtle shift the community was making.” I couldn't agree more. The opening night audience was intently involved from the start and moved by every performance. 

 Violet Skinner was stunning in the role of Scout, never faltering once. She captured superbly how Atticus’s daughter is following in her father’s footsteps as she questions everything around her loudly and assertively. Her brother Jem (Marek Punty) is impulsive, and Punty portrayed that perfectly. These two with their friend Dill (the adorable Bodhi Gardner) delivered their lines eloquently, capturing the gravity of the circumstances around them while tugging at our heartstrings. 

 The supporting cast around the pivotal characters were also perfectly cast. It’s impossible to single out one performance, they were all so good. There was not one moment that the nearly full house during the two-and-a-half hour show wasn’t fully engaged because of their portrayals. The impressive cast of actors included Jazmyn St. John (Calpurnia), Ramone F. Perry (Tom Robinson) , Deb Mahaney (Miss Maudie), Alison Hyder (Miss Stephanie), Tim Burroughs (Judge Taylor), Lizzy Smythe (Mrs. Dubose), Bragan Thomas (Reverend Sykes), Tim Moynihan (Walter Cunningham), Gianna Casale (Mayella Ewell), Andrew Haber (Bob Ewell), Matt Gardner (Mr. Gilmer/Boo Radley) and on opening night Mike Guzowski filling in for Josh Devlin (Sheriff Heck Tate). 

 Banas’s costume design was perfect, and the set was awesome for the small stage. Scott Hamilton, Guzowski, Johansen and Banas are responsible for the design and construction of the set. Ann Frechette handled Hamilton's light design and Don Howell’s sound design, further enhancing the production. 

 This terrible era in our country is less than 100 hundred years ago, and one has to ask, really how much progress have we made? This Chatham Drama Guild production will stay with you for days.