Review: 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Landmark Community Theatre

Pictured: Bobbie Celine Doherty as Scout and Josiah P. Rowe as Atticus Finch in 'To Kill a Mockingbird' Photo by Lisa Cherie

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” - Harper Lee

Thomaston, CT - ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ opened to the public at the Landmark Community Theater in Thomaston on Saturday. This beautiful production of the full length play by Christopher Sergel based upon the American literary classic novel by Harper Lee was directed by English teacher Lucia Dressel.

The director told the opening night audience that when she asked almost 300 school children who attended a preview on Friday which ones had read To Kill a Mockingbird, the theatre was filled with raised hands. “I almost sat on the stage and wept,” she posted. Next Thursday morning 500 students will be heading to the Opera House for another special performance. “The cast, crew and production staff ask that after you have seen it, please pay forward the message of tolerance,” Ms. Dressel writes in her director’s note. I think that I read the novel in high school, but I know that I never had the chance to see the play back then or in the years since.

“This is universality. This is timelessness. [This is happening now] is the message of ‘Mockingbird.’ As with ‘Anne Frank,’ it is the wisdom and innocence of a child’s voice that leads us to this simple message and ‘Mockingbird’ begs an addendum to the question--this is happening now; what are we doing about it.” - Lucia M. Dressel

Young Jean Louise ‘Scout’ Finch (played masterfully by Bobbie Celine Doherty) and her brother, Jem, are fascinated with the people of their small Alabama town. Both are consumed by imagination and innocence, so they cannot see the tensions that lie just below the surface. When their father, Atticus, takes on a controversial case involving a black man, they soon learn the social and racial issues that plagued the South back in 1935. Because it is set in that time, be forewarned that this play contains both mature content and language like lots of the n-word.

Stage manager Michael P. Calabrese posted that “this cast has put an enormous amount of work into bringing a classic piece of literature to life and it has really paid off. It's been a privilege to work with such a talented group of people.” This became readily apparent as the story unfolded on the excellent set designed by Evan Seide that was bathed in light designed by Backyard Theatre Ensemble artistic director Tina Parziale. That scene outside the jail was impressive. The setting went from front porches in Maycomb, Alabama in 1935 to a courtroom and back again with ease.

I was so impressed with the performances of each and every member of this cast. In the ensemble were Grace Carpenter, Doug DeSousa, Benjamin Dressel, Gavin Kavanaugh and Ava Piotrowski, smartly outfitted in period costumes by Kate Luurtsema. Tyler White was the young court clerk, and Mike Riley (‘Wonderful Life’) was a convincing Judge Taylor in this Southern courtroom. Cathy Annulli played the opinionated Finch neighbor Stephanie Crawford. Shanelle Dupre made her community theatre debut as the elderly neighbor Mrs. Dubose.

Michael Scott (‘Hairspray’ with LCT) brought a wonderful deep voice and good stage presence to the role of Reverend Sykes and Janette D. Scott was the motherly housekeeper Calpurnia. Olivia Lanteri played the teenaged Mayella Ewell and Jim Doherty, who drove his twelve-year-old daughter Bobbie to rehearsals, was scarily accurate as Miss Mayella’s father Bob. He credits his daughter for inspiring him to resume his acting career.

Lou Guertin (‘Memphis,’ ‘South Pacific’ with LCT) returned to this stage to play the sheriff Heck Tate. Eric Wilczak played both Mr. Gilmer and Mr. Cunningham and did well with both parts. Justin Henry was superb as the accused Tom Robinson; while I am glad that I got to see his debut on the LCT stage, I am sorry that I missed him in the role of Coalhouse Walker in ‘Ragtime’ with CT Theatre Company in New Britain. Peter Bard (ensemble and crew member) made me tear up as the children’s neighbor Boo Radley when he finally came out of his home. Dianna Waller (‘Hairspray,’ ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’) can do anything well, and her performance as Maudie Atkinson was certainly no exception; her narration of the play was perfection. Josiah P. Rowe stepped into the role of the principled lawyer Atticus Finch and made the audience admire him.

The children in the cast fit easily into this cast of talented adults. Ben Stone-Zelman (Michael Banks in ‘Mary Poppins,’ Flounder in ‘Little Mermaid’) was the lithe Charles ‘Dill’ Baker Harris; at his young age, Mr. Stone-Zelman has appeared at both Goodspeed Musicals and Hartford Stage. Lucas Peck (‘It’s A Wonderful Life,’ ‘The Happy Elf’ with LCT) played Jeremy ‘Jem’ Finch with conviction; this young actor is currently in grade seven at WAMS. Ms. Doherty, who has appeared at Goodspeed Opera House in ‘A Wonderful Life,’ traveled a great distance to play the role of Scout and her commitment to the part was evident.

The scene that closed the first act was so visually striking that I wished I could have a photo of it to accompany my review. The actors remained on the stage during intermission in character, as was the case when Ms. Dressel directed ‘Anne Frank.’ I appreciated that these volunteers did not get a break between the acts and came back strong for the second act. The blocking of the actors during the courtroom was cleverly designed to make use of the entire set.

Juan Cardona, Jr. entertained the audience during the 30 minutes before the performance began by expertly playing selections from the ‘Mockingbird’ era on the theatre pipe organ. Ms. Dressel asked for ‘Porgy and Bess,’ so we were able to enjoy “Summertime.”

Chet Ostroski made sure that the actors were safe as fight choreographer. Aaron Westcott was in charge of sound design that worked well. I was glad to be seated on the aisle on the right side of the house because several actors passed by me during entrances and exits. I highly recommend a trip to Thomaston to catch this most impressive production of an important work that is achingly topical; the play runs through March 24 at the Thomaston Opera House.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues and she posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theater Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417