TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD's 'Scout' Mary Badham Visits the White Theatre This Weekend

When most Kansas Citians hear the word "scout," they picture the large statue in Penn Valley Park. But another famous "scout" comes to Kansas City's Jewish Community Center next month when the White Theatre presents the play To Kill A Mockingbird. Mary Badham, who played Scout in the 1962 film version, will be in Kansas City for this weekend's April 5th and 6th performances.

The Jewish Community Center will present two special post-show talkbacks with Ms. Badham, who will discuss the novel and its messages and then answer questions from the audiences. The talkbacks will follow both the 7:30 p.m. performance on April 5 and the 2:00 p.m. performance on April 6.

To attend a talkback, you must be a ticket-holder to the performance that precedes it. Tickets are available at www.jcckc.org/mockingbird or 913-327-8054.

At 10, Ms. Badham was chosen for the role of Scout in the movie starring Gregory Peck with no prior acting experience. But that lack of experience did not hold her back, as she won a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her work in the film. At the time, she was the youngest ever to receive such a nomination.

Following To Kill a Mockingbird, Ms. Badham appeared in two other films, This Property Is Condemned with Robert Redford and Natalie Wood, and Let's Kill Uncle. She also had TV appearances on Dr. Kildare and The Twilight Zone. She gave up show business as a teenager to concentrate on her education, but remained in close contact with Gregory Peck and sometimes accompanied him on his one-man show lecture tours and award ceremonies.

Ms. Badham stays busy lecturing to audiences internationally about the book and film. Her mission is to expand the knowledge of the film's message of social injustice and to ensure each generation of students is able to experience the film's impact. Recently, she was brought out of retirement to appear in the film Our Very Own with Allison Janney, Keith Carradine and Jason Ritter.

If you have questions, need more information or want to schedule an interview with Mary Badham, please contact Krista Blackwood at 913-327-8073 or kristab@jewishkc.org. To Kill a Mockingbird takes to the White Theatre stage on April 5,10,12 at 7:30 and April 6 and 13 at 2:00.

For more information on this production and upcoming events call 913-327-8054 or visit www.jcckc.org/boxoffice.

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