TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD Comes to Life onstage at Birmingham Village Players

The Village Players continues their successful 93rd season with the gripping drama TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD adapted by Christopher Sergel from the novel by Harper Lee.

This timeless drama illustrates the evils of racism and the dangerous emotions that result from treating people of color differently. Ms. Lee vividly shows us that we all have a need to see the world through the perspective of others; only then can we truly understand each other, and consequently treat everyone with love and respect.

The story is told through the eyes of seven-year-old "Scout" Finch (Elena Pfeiffer), and explores her relationship with her father, Atticus Finch (Paul Gillin), a lawyer who proclaims: "They've done it before, they'll do it again, and when they do, it seems only children weep."

Director, Tim Wittlinger, a staple at Village Players says of this powerful drama; "Mockingbird is a director's dream as well as a challenge. The? ?show's?timeless aura,?complex themes and? ?myriad of emotions need to be woven together with the director's?artistic input without changing the author's intent. I love challenges. The cast has worked overtime to portray the true feelings and dilemmas about their characters' lives, hopes and fears. I hope the audience appreciates how closely these stories reflect their own, and, like Scout,?learns the importance of?loving and respecting? ?each other." As Scout says in the final moments of the show; "There isn't much else left for me to learn, except possibly algebra."

The talented cast of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD includes local veteran actors and some exciting new faces to the Village Players stage:

Scout - Elena Pfeiffer
Atticus Finch - Paul Gillin

Jem - Sam Slocum
Dill - Alex Calderwood
Mayella - Gabrielle Feber
Calpurnia - Takesha Walker
Maudie Atkinson - Cathie Badalamenti
Stephanie Crawford - Elizabeth Rager
Mrs. Dubose - Gertrude Fox
Sheriff Tate - Eric Goldstein

Mr. Gilmer - John Rutherford
Walter Cunningham - Kevin Feber
Bob Ewell - Joseph Munem
Boo Radley - Michael Trudel
Judge Taylor - Bill Dixon
Tom Robinson - Ronnie Glen
Rev. Sykes - Eurick Crayton, Jr.
Ensemble - Aaron Warrow
Ensemble - Ben Stahelin
Ensemble - Charles Devaman

Ensemble - Rudy Vuckov

The two-act drama runs approximately two and a half hours with one 20 minute intermission.

Show dates are March 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. and March 6, 13 & 20 at 2:00 p.m.

Ticket price is $18. Plus, there is a $1 Facilities Improvement Fee (FIP) for each ticket purchased and a $1 processing fee for each ticket order. To Kill a Mockingbird also offers a student price of $15 for youth up to 18 years of age.

Birmingham Village Players is located at 34660 Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI 48009. For tickets or other inquiries, call the box office at (248) 644-2075.

The Village Players of Birmingham, a 501 (c)3 nonprofit community theater celebrating its 93rd season, presents high quality dramatic, comedic, and musical productions. All community members are invited to participate on stage, backstage or as an audience member in the theater's main stage, youth theater, and Playwrights at Work productions and programs. The Village Players has been entertaining the community from its location at 34660 Woodward Avenue in Birmingham since 1926.