Past Reviews

Regional Reviews: Albuquerque/Santa Fe

Regional Reviews

Mockingbird Flies High
Albuquerque Little Theatre/Mother Road Theatre Company

Also see Caleb's review of Simon as Sergio, Dean's review of Gibraltar and Rob's review of Dancing at Lughnasa


Christopher Atwood and Mackenzie L. Jarrell
The play adaption of To Kill a Mockingbird was written by Christopher Sergel. It debuted in author Harper Lee's hometown of Monroeville, Alabama, in 1990. Each year in May the town revives the play, drawing on townspeople for the cast. During intermission, audience members are drafted to make up the all-white jury.

I can see why the play is honored so in its hometown. It captures the essence and spirit of the Pulitzer Prize winning novel from 1960. After Harper Lee's first-and-only completed novel won America's top prize for fiction, it went on to become one of the most-loved books of the 20th century, showing up on virtually every end-of-the-century must-read books list. The 1962 movie matched the quality of the novel, bringing home three Oscars, including Best Actor for Gregory Peck.

The play, now running at Albuquerque Little Theatre (ALT) in a joint production with Mother Road Theatre Company, draws on the same magic that ensured the movie's success: Harper Lee's beautiful narration. I have pointed decades of writing students to the novel, claiming it's the best example of the power of voice in American English.

The magic of To Kill a Mockingbird is six-year-old Scout's voice. She's part tomboy, part rascal, and all heart. She is just discovering the world, with all its beauty, awe, and wonder. She also sees the world is populated with cruel and brutal people whose damage cannot be contained or even mitigated by justice. And yet justice must still be pursued at all costs. In the rural mid-century South, those costs are high.

The ALT/Mother Road production is just what a Mockingbird fan would hope. The role of Scout is divided between Scout as a child and as an adult. Julia Thudium plays Jean Louise Finch, the adult Scout, and Mackenzie L. Jarrell handles the child's role. Both are excellent, which is great, since the success of the play requires that they both be excellent. I would guess that director Staci Robbins knew these roles had to be cast perfectly for the play to work at all.

Having the adult Scout on stage watching and commenting on the character of her younger self is a wise decision. The staging device brings a wisdom-once-removed effect that was so powerful with the Stage Manager in Thornton Wilder's Our Town.

As well as getting Scout right, the production also gets everything else right. The set design (conceived by Robbins, adapted by Colby Martin Landers) is wonderful, capturing both the small-town front porches and the interior county court. The costumes are spot on, thanks to Miguel Martinez with assistance from Julie Ball. Lighting and sound are just right—Ryan Jason Cook and Milbo Music with Cook.

Another key role is Scout's father, Atticus Finch, and Christopher Atwood is excellent in the part. The two other kids in the production, Traeton Pucket as Jem and Logan Smith as Dill, are great. Other standouts are Yvonne Mangrum as Calpurnia, Steven Suttle as Judge Taylor, Amy Elsie Bourque as Mayella Ewell, and Vic Browder as Bob Ewell. Of course we can't forget the smallest role that ever launched a Hollywood career, Robert Duval as Boo Radley—Morse Bicknell was just right as Boo.

To Kill a Mockingbird will run at Albuquerque Little Theatre, 224 San Pasquale SW, through April 27, 2014. The show starts at 7:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2:00 pm on Sundays. There will be a special performance at 7:30 pm on Thursday, April 24. Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors (65 and above), $18 for students (13 and above), and $10 for children (12 and under). You can buy tickets online at albuquerquelittletheatre.org or by phone at 242-4750, ext. 2.


Photo: John Maio

--Rob Spiegel