Some people will do whatever it takes to bury a truth they cannot face.
In the riveting play To Kill a Mockingbird by Christopher Sergel, based on the novel by Harper Lee, the truth one person hides fuels another to try and uncover it in order to save a man's life.
Scarborough Players staged their version of this classic story giving a stellar performance that was moving and memorable thanks to superb casting.
Set in Maycomb, Alabama in 1935 during the Depression, racial tensions are raging in this southern town as a young black man, Tom Robinson (Luke Robinson), is falsely accused of raping of a young white woman, Mayella Ewell (Taylor Magee).
It's obvious Maycomb is a place divided by racism when the black church congregation including, Reverend Sykes (Lynford Flemmings), come to the Atticus Finch household to visit their housekeeper, Calpurnia (Hedy Baker-Graf), and they're shunned by neighbours.
Unphased by the unpleasant incident are the Finch children, Scout (Elena Gorgevska), and her older brother Jem (Graham Pegg), who are waiting for their father Atticus (Greg Nowlan) to return home.
Atticus is defending Tom in his trial, making the Finch family a target for those who hate blacks. Thankfully, Scout is feisty, inquisitive and not afraid to speak her mind which is exactly what these racist, small-minded folks need.
She along with Jem and Dill (Dakota Van Halteren), a neighbour boy, proceed to defend Atticus, their family and what's morally right as they are ridiculed, threatened and face prejudice by others.
Motherless, the children have support by way of Calpurnia and their neighbour Maudie Atkinson (Jorie Morrow), who also helps narrate the story while showing us not everyone in town is a racist.
There are some touching, surprising and tension-filled moments throughout this show, many of which are during the trial. Although the proceedings were a bit slow, there were moving performances with the opposing testimonies of Mayella and Tom.
The children are the ones who really drive this story forward and it's amazing that they seem to understand the difference between right and wrong better than the adults.
New to the Scarborough Players stage were Gorgevska and Van Halteren, and their portrayals of Scout and Dill were sweet and powerful. Gorgevska's portrayal of Scout was phenomenal and she showed a maturity in her performance and delivery beyond her years.
Pegg's portrayal of Jem was also pivotal to the story, and he showed the evolution in his character from na�¯ve young man to facing harsh adult realities with a believable and strong performance.
Nowlan's performance as Atticus was strong and sincere, especially when showing the kids the difference between right and wrong. He was patient and stood true to his mission of freeing Robinson despite knowing he was up against impossible odds.
This story highlights injustice in its most blatant form while showing the divide that ignorance creates. It's not only highly entertaining, but a show that all ages would benefit from watching because of the moral message it aims to send.
To Kill a Mockingbird runs from March 6 - 9, 13 - 15, 8 p.m. and one 2 p.m. matinee on March 9, Scarborough Village Theatre, 3600 Kingston Rd. Tickets are $17 and $14 for seniors and students on Thursdays and Sundays only. For tickets or information call 416-396-4049 or visit www.theatrescarborough.com