A toast to Atticus Finch.

Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
#1

Well, my school’s fall drama is coming up and, as can probably be discerned from the title of this thread, we’re performing “To Kill A Mockingbird”. Auditions were on Thursday last week, and call-backs were Monday and Tuesday night. The extra day before posting was added because our director enjoys watching us suffer.:slight_smile:

Anyway, on Thursday I did a monologue from a play called “Light Sensitive”. I haven’t read it myself, but I found the monologue in a book and liked it alot. I gave it, and a lot of people said that it was one of the best ones at the audition. That, and the fact that I’m a senior this year, started to make me think that I might, just might, get to play the part of Atticus Finch, hero of lawyers everywhere.

Come callbacks Monday night, we were reading scenes from the play. I got to read the scene where Atticus interrogates the lovely miss Mayella Ewell, and did a pretty good job considering that it was a cold reading. On Tuesday, it went pretty much the same way, except that after everyone else had left, the director called myself and my friends Dave and Steve up to the stage. We were each given Atticus’ closing argument monologue to read cold, which we all did. I interjected a pretty good amount of emotion into it, and carried it pretty well, I believe. Steve did his fairly well, but he wasn’t really going for Atticus’ part anyway. Dave did very well, but read it a bit more “officially” than I had.

So, we waited a day, and come 12:30, a large number of prospective players were in front of the main message board at school. The cast list came up and…

I didn’t get the part. You’re looking at Heck Tate, Sheriff of Maycomb County.

Dave got the part, which isn’t a surprise because it was pretty much between he and I from the start. In the end, he just did something better than I did, and we were so close to even that it made all the difference.

So, I propose a toast, to Atticus Finch. You got the part I wanted, Dave, but I wish you the best of luck in it. I have no doubt that you’ll do amazingly, and fill Mr. Finch’s shoes quite nicely. As for me, I plan on being the best damn sherriff Maycomb County ever saw.
<raises glass>

-Walt

#2

So who wrote this play?

#3

Hey, Walt, IMHO Heck is one great character. Pay careful attention to your delivery on the line, “I may not be much, but I am still the sheriff of Maycomb County and Bob Ewell fell on his knife.”

Heck personifies for me every good man who makes the wrong choice for all the right reasons. And as such he is more “real” than Atticus is.

#4

My heart goes pitty-pat for Atticus Finch.
I’ll bet he would like Sun Chips, too.

#5

Harper Lee wrote the book. The character of Scout is partly autobiographical.

Was the play written by Lee as well?

#6

If no one’s told you yet, Walt, you are a classy, classy guy.

Your drama teacher is lucky to have you. Break a leg.

#7

Jester, I am completely jealous. TKAMB is my absolute favorite story. I think it can speak to every person with a heartbeat. And I think having a part that isn’t the main one can really give a great perspective, and completely enrich your understanding and view of the story as a whole. I also think your attitude regarding the same is fabulous. I wish you the best of luck.

#8

I knew there was a reason I liked this MB so much. I feel better already.

jcgmoi: As Syzygy said, Harper Lee wrote the book. I forget the name of the guy who wrote the play, but I do know that he collaborated heavily with Ms. Lee while writing it.

LifeOnWry, I actually realized about the same thing while sitting in Bio class, about 40 minutes after posting the OP. I was thinking about what scenes Heck is in, and how the line that you quoted gave me nifty shivers up my back when I read it. I’m feeling very good about this character now, and I thank you.

Ginger, I’m sure Atticus would be as adverse to Sun Chips as I am. That’s one of the reasons that I wanted to be him.:slight_smile: But I figure that as Heck I can have the power to arrest the man who made the damn things in the first place.

phouka, a thousand times thank you. Best compliment I’ve gotten in a while.

Munch, I wholeheartedly agree that it’ll be fun to do; it’s such an excellent story to start with. And thanks for the compliment.

A bunch of people, as usual, have been complaining about the casting today. Admittadly, some of the choices are a bit weird (having my friend Ashok, an Indian, play the pale, home-bound Boo Radley, for one), but I’m extremely confident that it’ll all work out in the end. And Hell, it’ll be unimaginable fun on the way there.

#9

Hey Jester, give 'em Heck.

ducks and runs, dodging tomatoes

I’m sure you’ll be boffo, dude. Break a leg.

Zappo

#10

Good book, but you can read it only so many times. I had to read it again in english this year, last time I’ll ever read it.

#11

Here’s to Atticus, even though it’s not you playing him. (I happen to be a fan of the book, you know?)

As for having an Indian play a pale character, well, I got over that hump in high school. I went to a very diverse school, and when we did the Diary of Anne Frank, there were actually black people in the cast. But who cares, as long as they do a good job with the character, right?

Have fun with it!

#12

Not completely on-topic, but related:

My family is big on reading. We’re all book-worms. My sister’s husband is still adjusting to this, since his family is lucky if they read a book a year, collectively. Poor guy will NEVER live this down–

We were all playing a trivia game and the answer to his question was TKAM. We all knew it, but he was having trouble coming up with the answer. He’s thinking, he’s thinking, then…

“Who Wants to Kill a Mockingbird!” he shouts triumphantly. Hilarity ensues.
BTW, TKAM is my favoritest book ever. Break a leg, Jester!

#13

** Jester**: Good luck on a successful production.

I Googlized for a few minutes and found that Christopher Sergel had adaptated TKAM for the stage.

Sergel is also responsible for stage adaptations of Black Elk Speaks, Cheaper By the Dozen, Meet Me in St. Louis, The Mouse That Roared, The Outsiders, The Homecoming–The Musical, Winesburg, Ohio, Fame–The Musical,and An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge.

Busy guy.

#14

well, a convergence…

my high school is doing To Kill A Mockingbird too!

i didn’t try out, but my sister did… she didn’t get a part, though.

i just thought the co-inky-dink was neat.