To Kill a Mockingbird

Artisan Center Theater’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Hurst











_______TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD_________
Reviewed by ASSOCIATE THEATER CRITIC, Laura L. Watson, THE COLUMN

It would be unfair to compare any stage production of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD to the Academy Award winning movie, but Artisan Center Theater’s version can be compared to Harper Lee’s great work because they told this story well.

Set in 1935 Maycomb, Alabama, the story is narrated by Jean Louise Finch, the adult Scout. She has returned to her childhood home to recall the year that changed her life, and she is trying to remember something her father wanted her to do. We are introduced to young Scout, her brother Jem and their friend Dill. Their father is attorney Atticus Finch who has been appointed to represent Tom Robinson, an African American man accused of rape and battery by the Ewells, a white trash girl and her father. Racial tensions are high, and the children are taunted by classmates and neighbors alike. Because of their young age, the children are rather naïve and innocent of the things going on round them. Their focus is on Boo Radley, the town’s secretive shut in and the treasures hidden in the hole of a tree. The climax of the story is the trial of Robinson and the lessons Atticus taught his children during it. It is considered one of the best novels in all of American literature and the stage adaptation by Christopher Sergel is accurate even within the limitations of the stage. From the program: “Artisan does not condone or approve of harsh language or racial slurs. In producing this important work, we decided to stay true to the novel, time period and situations therein. Please be warned that there is some harsh language, situations, and the use of a racial slur.” Though it is hard to hear and difficult to watch, these controversial points are much needed and handled well by all involved.

Artisan is a community theater in the round. Set designers Jason Leyva and Dennis Canright placed houses complete with porches and screen doors in the four diagonal corners with a rope swing in front of the Finch house and a realistic tree with a hole in front of the Radley house. By darkening the houses, removing the swing, and placing wooden railings in front of the audience, tables for the judge and opposing council, and building a courtroom balcony over the audience in one corner, they easily shifted from the neighborhood to the trail. (It is worth mentioning that they have done some renovations to the building that include new, very nice bathrooms with additional stalls so intermissions now run 15 minutes instead of 20 or longer as they often delayed the second act due to the long lines.)

Light Designer Adam Livingston helped create the mood for the story, shifting from past to present, day to night, and appropriate lightning strikes during the storm. Sound design was not credited, but Sound Techs Karen Woolley and Wendy Pandolfo, used fantastic music to underscore the touching moments and the dramatic climax well, though the body microphones were sometimes slow in coming on as an actor started speaking. As sometimes happens, the AC came on and caused something in the rafter above me to rattle so loud it was sometimes hard to hear the quieter actors. Costumes, designed by Justin Kailer, Nita Cadenhead, and Jennifer Cadenhead were period appropriate and well fit, though Scout and Jem’s shoes were obviously new because the white parts were very bright. (Kids playing outside all summer wouldn’t have perfectly clean shoes.)

Director Dennis Canright succeeds in directing both seasoned children and adults in their debut performances, and uniting the design elements around his vision. The final moment of the play, when Jean Louise and Scout are standing side by side, looking at Atticus, with the soft lights and haunting music, had my theatre companion and I choking back tears. The girl and the woman shared an understanding about their father in that moment. It was an exceptional work of art. Each actor had authentic sounding Alabama accents (not just Texas accents heightened) and he was able to coax very natural line deliveries from his actors, especially from the children. Act I was a little shaky, though, with some very pregnant pauses. All the actors could pick up their line cues a little faster in the first act. (It could have been opening weekend nerves, though.)

The blocking makes use of the entire space without falling into trouble with sightlines- with exception of the mob scene. It was played in the Radley home’s corner, using a brick wall with a barred window and a single electric light. The “mob” was just 5 men who blocked Atticus and his children from ¾ of the audience’s view and never turned to show their reactions to Scout’s questions. It’s one of the greatest moments in the play, and while it was well conveyed vocally, it wasn’t so much visually. From my vantage point, all I saw was Tom Robinson’s arm sticking out of the jail window and the men’s silhouettes. The audience served as the courtroom audience, and one side served as the jury, receiving the majority of the closing statements and instructions from the judge. I was briefly taken out of the story when the set was changed, mostly by the actors themselves, from the neighborhood to the courtroom, and then I wondered why this was done when intermission was just a scene later. Why the intermission wasn’t put before the trail began, allowing the set change to occur then, might be a directing choice or how it was written in the script, but it did interrupt the experience briefly for me.

I did question some of the casting choices. Age appropriate casting would have served the story better. For example, Link Deas, Robinson’s employer, was well played by Michael Williams, but Williams is just too young looking to have a line about Robinson working for him for 12 years. The same could be said of Bianca White as Helena Robinson and Laura Tolsma as Stephanie Crawford. They did well but needed to be aged with makeup or older actors cast.

Though actors always long to play the great roles in American literature, it is rather daunting to try and make iconic, award winning roles your own. Appropriately so, this show’s strongest actors were the Finch family, played by the real life Leyva family members. Jason Leyva was a quiet, contemplative Atticus without straining to imitate Gregory Peck’s movie version of Atticus. He was strong without overpowering, and he had an intense energy that never let up or allowed his quiet character to become dull. Zach Leyva played Jem to perfection, allowing himself to balance in that precarious place between childhood and manhood as he sought to understand his father. Sadie Leyva was Scout, and though at times she would simply recite lines, for the most part, she was in the moment and portrayed truthful emotions to the situation surrounding her in ways adult actors should take note. Her wide eyed innocence wasn’t faked, either, and underscored the evil acts adults were able to commit while children looked on. Natalie Berry as Jean Louise was calming, intuitive with a quiet energy that supported all those on stage well. Most importantly, she has a GREAT voice that enraptured her audience from the first monologue on. Though she was seen, and reacted as needed, it was her subtle vocal shifts that conveyed the adult interpretation of the events.

Dill, the comedic relief and source of most of the children’s antics, was charming and mischievously done by Isaac Jarrell. Calpurnia, the Finch’s motherly African American housekeeper, was truthfully played by Lyndee Boyland. Maudie Atkinson is the ever baking busybody who feels it is her duty to educate the children to Atticus’ past, though actress Chalea Blair is not nearly old enough looking to be a peer of Atticus. However, what she lacks in age, she makes up for in maternal instinct. Laura Tolsma was the rather active town snob Stephanie Crawford- again, someone too young in a role meant for an older woman. While I normally celebrate an actor who attempts to portray a character through unique physical and vocal choices, Tolsma’s over the top choices didn’t work for me here. While everyone else was natural and truthful, her performance felt like a caricature rather than a person. However, she was a source of comedy and everyone knows a Miss Stephanie. David Plybon was an appropriately disgusting, revolting Bob Ewell, the white trash father of Mayella. However, Plybon had no reaction during the trial to the other’s testimonies, much of which contradicted him. Tom Robinson, much like Atticus, is a strong yet quiet man whose life hangs in the balance. Sean Massey was subtle yet believable in his portrayal of Tom. Bianca White played Helen, Tom’s distraught wife, but she needed tears and to find her motivation for these outbursts. They felt very halfhearted and like a recitation of a script rather than a wife whose husband is taken from her. The Reverend Sykes is a source of comfort for Helen and reaches out to Atticus for help, but Ronnie Hunt was a little too subtle and soft spoken. Jennifer Cadenhead was Mayella, the woman who accuses Tom of rape. Mayella is a victim of her upbringing, but she is far from innocent. Cadenhead expertly brought out Mayella’s vulnerability and the sadness of her circumstances without excusing her choice to falsely accuse Robinson. With more than 20 cast members, it is impossible to critique each one. However, as a whole, the ensemble jelled well together and felt like a genuine small Alabama town in 1935.

Though no one could ever- or should ever even try to- copy the great movie TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, Artisan Center Theater’s stage production remained true to Harper Lee’s classic work and gives its audience an insightful experience. Fifty years after it was first published, men and women alike are asked to think back to that experience that brought a child into adulthood, we as a society remember the injustices that have occurred and are motivated to insure they are not repeated, and we are all reminded of why it really is a sin to kill a mockingbird.

Artisan Center Theater presents Harper Lee’s TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD through October 30 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and Saturday matinees.

Performed at the Artisan Center Theater, 418 E. Pipeline Road, Hurst. Tickets, $9-$16 depending on age and night of show, can be purchased online at www.artisanct.com or by calling 817-284-1200.


*REVIEWED 10-4-2010 PERFORMANCE
Reviewed by ASSOCIATE THEATER CRITIC, Laura L. Watson, THE COLUMN

Directed by Dennis Canright
Produced by DeeAnn Blair
Based on the book by Harper Lee
Dramatized by Christopher Sergel
Stage Manager: Lindsay Hardisty
Set Design: Jason Leyva, Dennis Canright
Set Construction: Jason Leyva, Thurston Wells, Larry Dibler, Dan Nolen, Jr, Mike Shreve,
Jennifer Dooley, Michael Pandolfo, Matthew Pandolfo, Robert Molina, Ben Herbert, Branson White, cast and crews of SOUTH PACIFIC and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
Scenic/Painting Design: Lily Stapp
Paint Crew: Baird Harbin, Bethany Jarrell, Bailey Jarrell, Kate Avery, Michael Williams
Props: Tammie Phillips
Costume Design: Justin Kailer, Nita Cadenhead, Jennifer Cadenhead
Lighting Design: Adam Livingston
Light Tech: Michael Blair, Michael Pandolfo
Sound Tech: Karen Woolley, Wendy Pandolfo

CAST- this show is double cast. I only listed those I saw perform on 10-4.
Jean Louise Finch: Natalie Berry
Atticus Finch: Jason Leyva
Scout: Sadie Leyva
Jem: Zach Leyva
Dill: Isaac Jarrell
Calpurnia: Lyndee Boyland
Maudie Atkinson: Chalea Blair
Stephanie Crawford: Laura Tolsma
Mrs. Dubose: Diann Wells
Nathan Radley: Leo Glass
Boo Radley: Cameron Potter
Heck Tate: Eric Maskell
Judge Taylor: Dan Nolen, Jr.
Rev. Sykes: Ronnie Hunt
Mayella: Jennifer Cadenhead
Bob Ewell: David Plybon
Walter Cunningham: Ron Staggs
Mr. Gilmer: Jerry Mayes
Tom Robinson: Sean Massey
Helen Robinson: Bianca White
Mrs. Perkins: Anne Farrell
Mrs. Merriweather: Sheila Mayo
Link Deas/Hawkings: Michael Williams