To Kill a Mockingbird at the Schuster

  Back in July Tom bought two tickets to To Kill a  Mockingbird at the Schuster Performing Arts Center in downtown Dayton. He knows I love plays (he doesn't) and that made what was a birthday gift that much more special. The only problem was waiting three months for the show.

 I have never been to the  Schuster before. Opened in 2003, I suppose the only reason that it took me twenty years to attend a performance was having someone to go with.

 I had seen commercials on TV for the play and I had mentioned several times to him how much I'd like to attend. I knew Tom wouldn't be interested so I was doubly surprised when the mention of tickets was included in my July 13 birthday card.

  And what an exceptional piece of architecture the place is!

 Pictures were not allowed to be taken during the performance so I shot a few before, during a 15 minute intermission  and after the play finished.

 The atrium was quite impressive ... and huge.

 Palm trees (real, I think) grow beside the one glass side of the Schuster. I believe that wall faces south.

 Inside is even more impressive.

 My only complaint - if you can call it that - is that the rows of seating were very close together. That makes a bathroom break (which I did not need) more than a challenge. It would also make egress difficult in an emergency.

 The Schuster has a capacity of 2300 people and I think most, maybe all, of the seats were taken for this 2 PM Saturday matinee. Another impressive feature is that no seat is more than 150 feet from the stage.

Click to enlarge

 Two actors were especially noteworthy: Richard Thomas (John-boy on The Waltons) played the lead, Atticus Finch, and he never missed a beat. His performance was heartfelt and exceptional. And Mary Badham, who played Scout in the feature film with Gregory Peck in 1962, played Mrs. Henry Dubose.

 And Scout, played by Melanie Moore, was perfect. Even though she is 32 she seemed the child the part required.

 But everyone was exceptional.

 We parked at the Arts Garage which charged $10 for the day during scheduled performances.

 So it was a belated birthday gift but one I'll remember forever.

 National Tour Preview