: Samantha Ryan (Scout) and Charles Brown (Atticus Finch) rehearse a scene from Peoria Players’ upcoming production of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The play was chosen in 2014 to be part of this year’s season but has become even more timely in the wake of author Harper Lee’s recent death. (Photo courtesy of Peoria Players Theatre)

When the Peoria Players Theatre chose “To Kill a Mockingbird” as part of this year’s season back in 2014 they knew it was an enduring story, but the production became even more timely in the wake of author Harper Lee’s death last month.

Lee, who won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1961 for the novel, died in her sleep Feb. 19 at the age of 89. The publicity-shy author was thrust into the spotlight last year when a previously undiscovered controversial sequel—or what some believe may have been the original “Mockingbird” manuscript—was published in July. “Go Set a Watchman” immediately soared to the top of fiction best-seller lists.

“Nelle Harper Lee will forever be remembered as the author of one of the most beloved American novels and her creation of that famous literary hero, Atticus Finch,” said Laura Garfinkle, who will direct Peoria Players’ production of “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. March 11-12 and March 17-19 and at 2 p.m. March 13 and March 20. There will also be post-performance discussions on March 13 and 17.

The Peoria Players’ version, adapted by Christopher Sergel, focuses on the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of attacking a white woman, who’s defended by Atticus Finch. Narrating the play is Jean Louise Finch, the grown-up child called Scout in the novel.

Garfinkle said the book’s message “remains almost dishearteningly relevant to the present day, where a spotlight has been shone on racial injustice, and the Black Lives Matter movement has arisen to shed light on pervasive racial inequality which persists in our country. However, the fact that ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ remains as much of a standard bearer in 2016 as it was in 1960 is a testament to Ms. Lee’s powerful writing and message of perseverance against all odds.”

In an effort to encourage students to attend the play, Peoria Players has reached out to eighth-grade and high school students in central Illinois.

“We hope to see a lot of students at the performances since “To Kill a Mockingbird” is still required reading for many schools in our area,” Garfinkle said.

Area teachers say the novel has lasting importance and still resonates with students

“(Students) learn that people are people despite race or social class, that one should learn about people before passing judgment on them and that one should not destroy the beauty in the world,” said Dawn Dayhoff, an English teacher at Washington Community High School. “There are more life lessons woven throughout the book, but those stand out to me the most.”

Dayhoff said the novel “has a special place in my heart.”

Maureen Naughtin, who retired last year after teaching English for many years at Pekin Community High School, said she believes the novel’s legacy will continue to endure.

“I think it’s so easy for students to identify with Scout, the narrator,” Naughtin said. “It’s absolutely still an important novel today. It exposes the reader to diversity and understanding differences, as well as the lesson of tolerance that Atticus teaches his children.”

Naughtin also participated in the Pekin Reads program that featured “To Kill a Mockingbird” last year. “We had a fantastic response,” she said. “I think the novel is a masterpiece that transcends any time period.”

Pekinite Joanne Miller chose “To Kill a Mockingbird” for her book club to read last year around the time “Go Set a Watchman” was released.

“I had never read it before, but not long after I read the book, I saw the movie, so I got a second chance to reflect on the story,” Miller said. “I think there are many reasons this novel has remained popular through the decades. Racism and social inequality issues portrayed in the book are still evident today, and many readers are interested in what life was like during the Great Depression.”

A retired grade school teacher, Miller said the novel’s realistic characters and first-person style helped captivate her as a reader. “The symbolism and moral themes of good and evil make this novel a good choice to be used with high school students,” she added.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” is continuously checked out by patrons at the Peoria Public Library and the Morton Public Library.

“We have nine print copies of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and two audio copies, and they are going out regularly,” said Morton Public Library Director Alissa Williams. “I also have 14 copies of ‘Go Set a Watchman’ and every single one of those has been checked out in the last two months.”

Williams said part of the reason she thinks the novel has endured is that people fell in love with the characters of Atticus, Scout and her brother, Jem.

“It deals with a hard part of American history, yet it does so with compassion and understanding,” Williams said. “It’s the classic American novel with a heroine you can

Peoria Public Library Reference Services Manager Jennifer Sevier said the library’s copies of “To Kill a Mockingbird” are consistently checked out, and “Go Set a Watchman” has been circulated more than 100 times since it debuted last July.

“Even though ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is set in the past, the message is timeless,” Sevier said. “It doesn’t matter when you read it; the message is relevant.”

Tickets for Peoria Players’ production of “To Kill a Mockingbird” are $14 for adults and $9 for patrons 20 and younger. For reservations, call the box office at (309) 688-4473 or visit the website at www.peoriaplayers.org.

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

—  ‘Mockingbird’ remains popular, relevant in wake of Harper Lee’s passing —