To Kill a Mockingbird

Subject: Drama
Level: Secondary
Age Group: 11 - 14
Order Number: 5230

This adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird has been developed for use in the classroom, as a way into this powerful and much-loved novel, which is one of the classics of twentieth-century literature. It deals with fundamental issues of race and prejudice while celebrating universal values of loyalty and justice. This play can be used by pupils of all abilities and a wide range of ages, including those pupils for whom English is a second language. It is based closely on the text by Harper Lee, but is shortened to make it manageable on stage. Every attempt has been made to represent faithfully the style and language of the original novel. The set is kept as simple as possible, and a narrator is used, to provide continuity and to cover the more complicated scenes such as the scene in the court room.

The play lasts about eighty minutes, but the length of the finished product can be adjusted.

This play can either be staged as suggested, or read in class for enjoyment. It can serve as an introduction to study of To Kill a Mockingbird and is a means of making accessible this important novel, the study of which is at times hindered by difficulty with the language.

There are questions at the end to assist the student to understand all the implications of this moving story, and there are answers for the teacher's benefit.