The Play

The Playwright:

Christopher Sergel was born in Iowa City in 1918. He graduated from the University of Chicago in 1944 and went on to serve in the South Pacific during World War II (Lieutenant Commander). Other notable works include an adaptation of Winesburg, Ohio by friend and author Sherwood Anderson, which appeared on Broadway, as well as Black Elk Speaks and Cheaper by the Dozen. At the time of his death in 1993, he was survived by his then-wife, Gayle Sergel, as well five children, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Sergel reportedly began his work on the play in 1965 with Harper Lee authorizing his faithful adaptation specifically for stock and amateur rights (this has increasingly become a point of legal concern*) in 1969. The following year, Sergel became president of Dramatic Publishing, a successful publishing and licensing company for plays started by his uncle . While it was produced immediately by schools and community theaters across the country, the play did not have its first professional production in the United States until 1991 at the Paper Mill playhouse in New Jersey, following a successful tour of the UK.

Even after it's premiere, Sergel continued to tweak the work, in some instances making minor changes but also quite substantial rewrites. One noteworthy change apparent from the reviews, is that the play was initially narrated by neighbor, Mrs. Maudie Atkins, rather than the adult Jean-Louise Finch.

Productions:

The professional US Premier received mixed reviews in the New York Times, though both critics agree on the success of George Grizzard in the role of Atticus. Both reviewers long for more exploration of the darker elements in the story, a reflection of the thirty plus years that had passed since the novel's publication. Despite lukewarm critical reception, Sergel's adaptation in one form or another, would go on to be the third most frequently produced play in the country in the 1994-1995 season according to Theater Communication Group's (TCG) annual list. It remained in the top ten for two more seasons, and returned to the list in various positions between 2008 and 2016.

Sources:

• DPC Author Profile of Christopher Sergel: https://www.dramaticpublishing.com/authors/profile/view/url/christopher-sergel

• Christopher Sergel NYT obituary: https://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/12/obituaries/christopher-sergel-publisher-of-plays-and-playwright-75.html

• NYT review of the Paper Mill production: https://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/04/theater/review-theater-a-mockingbird-translated-to-the-stage.html

• A second review of the Paper Mill production: https://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/10/nyregion/theater-moments-of-heroism-and-hope-in-mockingbird.html

• For more about Christopher Sergel: https://www.bard.org/study-guides/about-the-author-and-playwright-to-kill-a-mockingbird

• For more on the contemporary controversy of the Sorkin production on Broadway: https://www.americantheatre.org/2019/03/04/the-long-strange-flight-of-mockingbird/

• A compelling Stratford production: https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/review/2018/06/04/to-kill-a-mockingbird-digs-for-a-deeper-atticus-finch-at-stratford-festival.html