‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Set to Tour U.K.

The Open Air Theatre in Regent’s Park located in London made the announcement that the hit play To Kill A Mockingbird will make a return for a limited run between August 28 to September 13, 2014. This will occur prior to the show embarking on a UK tour.

The show is directed by the Open Air Theatre’s artistic director Timothy Sheader and produced by Regent’s Park Theatre Ltd, Fiery Angel, Adam Spiegel, and William Village. It features additional production by Jon Bausor, music composition by Phil King, movement direction by Naomi Said, lighting by Oliver Fenwick, and sound by Ian Dickinson.

Robert Sean Leonard originally starred in the production as the title character Atticus Finch. To date, there has been no casting announcement regarding Leonard’s return or other cast members.

To Kill A Mockingbird tells the story of Atticus Finch, a white lawyer in the Depression-era South who is charged with the task of defending a black man against an unjust rape charge. The play uncovers the racial tensions, prejudices, and injustice that was present at the time and how those aspects impacted Finch, his children, and the small Southern town. It is based upon the Harper Lee novel of the same title. A film adaptation was also created in 1962 which was directed by Robert Mulligan and starred Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch.

The production opened this season’s summer program at the Open Air Theatre, running from May 16 to June 15. More than 180,000 people have attended the theatre’s 2013 season which has made the program the most successful one for the theatre to this point. This tops the 2011 season (previously the highest)  where 140,000 people attended.