TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD Takes Flight at Theatre Memphis

To Kill a Mockingbird opens on the Lohrey Stage at Theatre Memphis, January 18, and runs through February 3, 2019. This dramatization by Christopher Sergel (from the book by Harper Lee) is set in 1935 and explores the curiosity and inconvenient presence of a young girl, Scout, as she brings some sanity to a hard fought situation in the community. She and her brother are being raised by their housekeeper and their father, Atticus Finch, who is a lawyer defending a young black man wrongfully accused in a quiet Southern town. Two student matinees (already sold out) will be Thursday, January 24 and Friday, February 2, both shows at 10 am.

Director Kevin Cochran believes the relevance of such an engaging and Pulitzer Prize-winning story is understandable. "To Kill a Mockingbird holds up a mirror to society's deeply-ingrained prejudices, giving everyone an opportunity to understand others from their point of view," he relates. "The classic tale of innocence and racial injustice still resonates today." Bob Arnold leads the cast as Atticus Finch with, Ashley Trevathan playing the adult Scout and Harper Hale playing the young Scout. Others in the cast are Nicholas Luter, Annie Freres, Tina Thompson, Judith Cardoso, JoLynne Palmer, Hailey Townsend, Mario Hoyle, Jack Grizzle, John Maness, Robert Sutton, Greg Fletcher, John McFerrin, John T. Moore, Jonathan Williams, Simmery Branch, Ema (E.J.) James, Sarah Bond-Riodan, Anne Hogan and Daniel Myers.

"In today's political and social climate it is important that the arts can focus on telling stories that can bring some thoughtfulness to the conversation," Theatre Memphis Executive Producer Debbie Litch expresses. She says, "The beauty of theatre is that we can discuss these issues and hopefully shine a light on a community coming together for solutions."

www.theatrememphis.org