Civic Theatre Partners With The ACLU Of Indiana For TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

Civic Theatre brings Harper Lee's classic, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD to the stage February 8-23, 2019. In partnership with the ACLU, Civic will host over 3,500 middle and high school students at eight matinees of the play, providing an educational resource guide, along with Guest Experts, to discuss topical issues from the play, relevant in today's society.

Civic's Executive Artistic Director, Michael Lasley said, "Civic Theatre is grateful for our partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana. The participation of the ACLU helps to contextualize this great American drama and serves as reminder that while we might hope this play is representative only of our past, the reality is we are faced with similar challenges in contemporary society."

Among the Guest Experts addressing these challenges will be Frances Watson, Clinical Professor of Law & ACLU of Indiana Board Member; Jane Henegar, ACLU of Indiana Executive Director; Gavin M. Rose, ACLU of Indiana Senior Staff Attorney; Mark Nicholson, Civil Rights Attorney; Dorie Maryan, ACLU of Indiana Board Member; Ken Falk, ACLU of Indiana Legal Director; Rhiannon Edwards, PACE Executive Director; and Stevie Pactor, ACLU of Indiana Staff Attorney.

Jane Henegar, Executive Director of the ACLU of Indiana said, "Racial disparities in the U.S. incarceration system are 6 to 1. While TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is set in Alabama during the Jim Crow era, it is evident that we continue to face racial undertones in our justice system today, across America. We are pleased to work with Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre to shed light on racial disparities in the criminal justice system through this educational program."

The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana

The ACLU of Indiana is dedicated to defending individual rights and preserving liberties that are guaranteed in the U.S. and Indiana Constitutions and civil rights laws. Through advocacy, education and litigation, the ACLU of Indiana protects and enhances civil liberties including freedom of speech, the right to privacy and equal treatment under the law. The ACLU stands in defense of the rights of women and minorities, workers, students, immigrants, LGBTQ people and others who have seen bias and bigotry threaten the rights afforded to them by the Constitution.

For tickets, and more information about Civic Theatre, visit www.civictheatre.org. For more information about the ACLU, visit https://www.aclu-in.org.