‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ as relevant as ever in 2023

“To Kill a Mockingbird,” Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1960 novel, explores racial tensions and the fight for justice within the confines of America’s Deep South. Decades later, the novel’s material is just as relevant as when it was written – and local theatergoers can now experience it on stage.

Coming to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts March 28 to April 9 as part of Broadway Across America, the “Mockingbird” touring show stars Broadway actor Richard Thomas – most recognized as John-Boy Walton from the 1970s television show “The Waltons” – as protagonist Atticus Finch, a courageous attorney who takes on the case of a lifetime defending a Black man wrongly accused of raping a young white woman.

Indeed, it’s Finch’s reputation as an upstanding lawyer with a penchant for cases fighting racism and seeking social justice that led him to being assigned to the racially charged trial. Lee based the character on her own father, A.C. Lee, an attorney and widower with two children who was committed to fighting for racial equality. Finch’s young daughter, Scout, is based on Lee herself.

The role of Finch, performed on Broadway by Jeff Daniels – he walked away with a Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his efforts – and later by Greg Kinnear in the long-running production, nabbed Gregory Peck an Oscar for the novel’s 1962 black-and-white film adaptation.

Thomas’ take on the character will be enhanced by a stellar ensemble cast, including multi-award-winning Broadway actress Jacqueline Williams as Finch family housekeeper Calpurnia. Williams was cast in the role once the national tour for this Aaron Sorkin version was decided.

“We workshopped the play in October 2021 and started rehearsals in February 2022. We were in rehearsals for three weeks and had our first show in March,” said Williams. “We’ve been on the road and at it for a year now.”

This is her first time playing the role of Calpurnia, which she loves, and she says she’s thrilled with Sorkin’s interpretation of the story.

“Aaron is absolutely brilliant in how he’s honored Ms. Lee’s story and her message. He has brilliantly found a way to do all of that and still have the story set in 1934, which is when she wrote it taking place, but he also managed to make it quite present,” said Williams.

Unlike the film, there are several narrators in this production, including Scout, her brother Jem and Dill Harris. Additionally, Sorkin fleshed out the roles of Calpurnia and the accused, Tim Robinson, “so you really get an idea of who these people are,” said Williams. “And in terms of Calpurnia, her relationship with Atticus is very central to the story so you really get an inside look at her relationship with [him] and how they’re very much like brother and sister.”

The Calpurnia and Atticus dynamic on stage spotlights the trust between the two characters, how they agree and disagree, laugh and even go toe-to-toe in certain situations. They serve as a bridge between the white and Black communities and – as liberal as Finch’s actions are – present a relationship that showcases how Atticus can’t possibly understand the totality of the Black experience.

“Calpurnia is that voice and there are things that she calls him out on. It’s a beautiful relationship and you also get a better idea of her relationship with the kids, given she’s been their surrogate mother with their mother passing so young,” said Williams.

Thanks to Sorkin’s skills as a beautiful writer, Williams says that “Calpurnia is frank, honest, wickedly witty and true. It’s a joy to play her and a joy to play opposite Richard Thomas; I couldn’t ask for a better scene partner. He’s a beautiful person and a sublime Atticus.”

The national tour goes through July 2 and Williams is excited to continue sharing the story with so many lifelong fans of the book and film, much like herself. There are, however, those in the audience who are newcomers.

“It’s exciting to hear those that obviously don’t know the story let out a gasp during the play, making it truly heartwarming to see them experience this for the first time in a live setting,” said Williams. “We just want everyone to treat themselves to this journey because it really is a wonderful production.”

Of particular interest in this production is cast member Mary Badham, who plays grumpy neighbor Ms. Dubose and also played Scout in the 1962 film, making for a very special, full-circle moment.

“After the film, Mary’s life has been traveling the globe talking about this story, and it’s been important work about the injustices people are going through. She’s helping to foster change and progress,” said Williams.

Like Badham, Williams feels this national tour serves a similar purpose.

“Unfortunately, we still need this play and need progress … decades later we’ve made so very little progress,” she said. “In our hearts as a touring company, we feel like we’re doing the needed work because we still need a lot of change.”

Tickets for “To Kill a Mockingbird” at The Broward Center for the Performing Arts Au-Rene Theater range from $35-$125 and are available at BrowardCenter.org.