"To Kill A Mockingbird" at the Guthrie Theater

I don't ever want to read the recently published Go Set A Watchman, which reportedly paints a much less flattering, more complex, and perhaps more realistic portrait of the small-town Southern lawyer Atticus Finch. The Atticus Finch of Harper Lee's 1960 novel To Kill A Mockingbird and the 1990 stage adaptation by Christopher Sergel, now playing on the Guthrie's thrust stage, is just the best man. This is the Atticus I want to know, remember, and celebrate. The lawyer who believes in justice, equality, and fairness for every person, who is a loving yet strict father who raises his children to be smart and independent thinkers who use their own judgement to decide what's right and wrong, that's the Atticus that I, however naively, believe in. And that's the Atticus that it's a bittersweet joy to watch as his story comes to life on the Guthrie stage. Except of course that it's not really Atticus' story, it's his daughter Scout's story as she comes to see that her father and the town she lives in are not exactly what she thought they were. With the clear-eyed innocence and straight-forwardness of a child, she guides us through this story that is representative of a difficult and ugly time in our history, a time that isn't as long ago as we like to think. To Kill A Mockingbird is an American classic and this beautiful production does justice to it.

Even though it's been many years since I read the book or saw the 1962 movie starring Gregory Peck (so long that I had forgotten the ending), the story is familiar to anyone growing up in this country where it's required reading at most schools. In 1935 Alabama, a black man is accused of raping a white woman, and Atticus Finch defends him in court despite the bad will of most of the town against him and his family for defending a black man. All of this is reflected through the eyes of his daughter Scout who, along with older brother Jem and friend Dill, watch the proceedings with curiosity, fascination, confusion, and dismay.

Atticus with Jem, Scout, and Dill (Baylen Thomas,
Noah Deets, Mary Bair, and Issac Leer, photo by Joan Marcus)

I'm not sure I've ever seen three children command the Guthrie stage before like these three kids. There are two sets of the Scout/Jem/ Dill trio, and the ones I happened to see (Mary Bair, Noah Deets, and Isaac Leer) are a charming, precocious, and talented bunch. When they're not on stage alone for long scenes, they're going toe-to-toe with a cast full of beloved Guthrie veterans (of note, only one of the adults has never appeared at the Guthrie before). I am in awe of all three of them and what they're able to do at such a young age! I especially adore Mary Bair as Scout. If I had a daughter I'd want her to be just like Scout - smart, stubborn, curious, independent, brave, sensitive, open-hearted, unafraid to speak her mind and ask questions, and quick to defend herself and her family.

the trial of Tom Robinson (Baylen Thomas, J.C. Cutler,
Ansa Akyea, and Peter Thomson, photo by Joan Marcus)

While these kids own this stage and this story, the adults aren't bad either. That one Guthrie newcomer I mentioned? That would be Baylen Thomas as Atticus, who perfectly embodies all of the wonderful characteristics that I described above, while still portraying the humanity of Atticus behind the icon. There are too many wonderfully strong performances in this cast to mention, but to name a few: Stacia Rice with a warm presence as the neighbor Miss Maudie who serves as a narrator, a clever device by the playwright that allows him to set the scene and include some of Harper Lee's language; Regina Marie Williams as the Finch's beloved housekeeper Calpurnia; Ansa Akya bringing depth and humanity to the accused man; Peter Thomson as the judge, in Mark Twain hair leaning back in his chair chomping on a cigar; T. Mychael Rambo leading a choir as Reverend Sykes; Ashley Rose Montondo, both sympathetic and infuriating as the accuser; and Bruce Bohne as her utterly despicable father.

As per usual at the Guthrie, the set, costume, lighting, and sound design make it easy to suspend disbelief and feel like we're in a small Southern town a century ago. The thrust stage is covered with a worn wooden floor, surrounded by three front porches and one rope swing. The jailhouse is lowered from the ceiling, and the inside of the courtroom comes up from below for that crucial scene that spans the intermission. Lived-in period costumes complete the look (set and costumes by James Youmans and Matthew J. LeFebvre).

I found this to be a really lovely evening at the theater, one that left me with tears in my eyes, a warmth in my heart, and a feeling of injustice, not so much at Tom Robinson's fate (because really, what other ending could there be in the deep South of the 1930s), but that Tom Robinson's story continues to be repeated today. To Kill A Mockingbird is a classic piece of American literature, one that's timely and relevant despite being set 80 years in the past, and this beautiful production and excellent cast of young and old alike bring it to life in an entirely satisfying way. (Continuing through October 18.)

"Radio Man" by the History Theatre at Minnesota History Center

The final installment of what has been an excellent new works series sponsored by the History Theatre is Radio Man, by Minnesota’s own radio man Garrison Keillor. In case you've been living under a rock for the past 40 years, Garrison is the creator/writer/host of a radio variety show called A Prairie Home Companion. This 40-year Minnesota institution has spun off countless books, CDs, DVDs, a movie (for which I was a never-seen extra), and now - a play. I admit I'm biased because I love Prairie Home in all of its form, so I can't objectively view it as simply a play, as someone who's unfamiliar with the show would. Having said that, I found it to be another great way to experience the truly delightful world of A Prairie Home Companion.

Radio Man is like watching an episode of APHC play out on stage, with the addition of glimpses into the back-stage goings-on, as well as musings about the host's childhood. Led by a very familiar seeming host, we meet other familiar characters such as cowboys Dusty and Lefty and private eye Guy Noir. The host's child self also appears onstage, telling stories about the origin of his love of radio and his desire to live and work in that world. The "Lake Wobegon" story about the death of Byron Tolefson blends into the real life of the play as the ghost of Byron appears and ponders the meaning of life and death. In addition, the host is confronted by the station manager, his sister, and a woman from his past. Over the course of one evening and one episode of this ongoing radio show, the host experiences something much more - an existential rumination on life itself.

Once again, an extremely professional and talented cast of actors breathes life into the written words. Pearce Bunting plays the host, with a spot-on Garrison Keillor impression. From the red socks and the glasses, to the way he holds his hand to his face while talking, to the shuffling dance as he's taken by the music. The adorable Noah Deets plays the host's 10-year-old self, with remarkable maturity and ability in this unusual format for someone so young. Various characters real and imagined are portrayed by Jon Andrew Hegge, Laurie Flanigan-Hegge, Jake Endres, Summer Hagen, and the dryly hilarious Angela Timberman. Of course APHC would not be complete without music, and there's much of that here, successfully woven into the story in the form of jingles and performances by guests (with musical direction by Andrew Cooke).

In the post-show discussion (a lovely feature of Raw Stages that allows the audience to share feedback with the creators), Pearce was asked what it felt like to play a real person who was sitting in the room. Pearce responded that Garrison's words resonate with so many of us because he's telling our story, so in a way he's in all of us, or all of us are in him. He said if he continues in the role (which I sincerely hope he does), the trick will be to find a little bit more of himself in the character and less of Garrison. A few other people pointed out that the ending went on a little too long. I agree with that, but after a little tightening and restructuring (Garrison was busily taking notes throughout the reading), this has the potential to be a charming play about a familiar and beloved Minnesota institution. I consider Garrison to be the Mark Twain of our generation, a folksy humorist telling stories of Americana that ring true. It's lovely to hear that voice coming from a theater stage through the mouths of actors, and to experience the wonderfully quirky world of A Prairie Home Companion in a theatrical format.

This was my first time attending History Theatre's annual Raw Stages festival, and I enjoyed it so much and was very impressed by the creators and actors putting together such professional and entertaining readings in such a short time. Each one of the four works presented is so different, showcasing great variety in the history of Minnesota and in its theater. I hope to see each one of them further developed and given a full production. (Read about all four plays here.)