Farmington Players Present - "To Kill A Mockingbird" September 30, 2011

The Farmington Players are pleased to present the classic American drama To Kill a Mockingbird.

Set in Alabama during the Great Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows the journey of Scout and Jem Finch, whose father has been appointed to defend Tom Robinson, a black man framed for a crime he didn’t commit. As the trial progresses, Scout and Jem witness their community in a tense tug of war between justice and racism.

To Kill a Mockingbird compels us to take an honest look at our nation’s past and our moral responsibility to each other. It explores the nature of human beings; that is, whether people are essentially good or essentially evil. The moral voice of the story is embodied by the lead character Atticus Finch. He believes that, rather than being simply defined as good or evil, most people have both good and bad characteristics, and the important thing is to appreciate the good qualities and understand the bad qualities by treating others with sympathy and trying to see life from their perspective.

The character of Atticus Finch is being played by Greg Bowman, well known in the Metro Detroit area as both an actor in Community Theater and the daytime voice of news radio WWJ-950. Greg was last seen on the Barn stage playing the role of the lovable bartender Seamus in Mitch Albom’ comedy And The Winner Is.

“I’m honored to be able to bring Atticus to life on stage,” said Bowman. “I think we would all like to be like him, a real hero and someone who, as the story says, can be trusted to do the right thing.”

Playing the role of Scout is the very talented Nina White. Regular patrons of the Barn may remember seeing Nina as young Susan Walker in the holiday classic Miracle on 34th Street, and most recently, Baby June in the musical Gypsy.

When asked about the important lessons that parents can take from this play, director Michael Schacherbauer said, “Our children then and our children today are shaped by our feelings and conversations about race, justice, integrity and equality.”

Harper Lee found instant fame after To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1960. The novel was showered with literary awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961. However, despite her success, Lee never published another novel. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush in 2007.

To Kill a Mockingbird is sponsored by:

Mall Malisow & Cooney, P.C. ▪ Farmington Hills, Michigan
Estate Planning, ElderCare, and Special Needs Planning Lawyers

To Kill a Mockingbird continues the Farmington Players’ 58-year tradition of producing compelling live performances. “The Barn” is a state-of-the art facility that shines as one of the most inviting community theaters in the Detroit area. It also serves as one of the best bargains in the region.

To Kill a Mockingbird will be performed from September 30 through October 22. For more information on the Farmington Players or to purchase tickets, visit www.farmingtonplayers.org or call the box office at 248-553-2955.

Official Website: http://farmingtonplayers.org/