To Kill A Mockingbird set to open at The Lex Theatre

Continuing the 50-year anniversary celebration of Harper Lee's landmark book-turned-legend, 'TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD' opens on January 14th, 2011 as THE PRODUCTION COMPANY unveils their new larger space, The Lex Theatre; 6760 Lexington Avenue, in Hollywood's Theatre Row.

Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning book about truth and prejudice told through the eyes of a child was recently at the top of a list of the "most banned books in America today". Full of wisdom, understanding and humor, this two hour stage adaptation is directed by TheProdCo's Co-Artistic Director T L Kolman, whose vision brings fresh excitement and warmth to the beloved and renowned story.

The producers are equally excited about the terrific cast that has been assembled for the play including James Horan ("God Save Gertrude", "Falling Upward") as Atticus Finch, Brighid Fleming ('The Pillowman, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot") as Scout, L. J. Benet ("Limelight...", "Big") as Jem, and a whole lineup of notable talent including Christopher Carver, Inda Craig-Galvan, Margaret Dwyer, Patrick Fitzsimmons, Barbara Gruen, Jim Hanna, Lorenzo T. Hughes, Ferrell Marshall, Skip Pipo, and David Stifel. The book has been adapted for the stage by Christopher Sergel. Lighting is by Ric Zimmerman and set design by producer August Viverito.

The book's author Harper Lee, who is from the south Alabama town of Monroeville, attended law school at Alabama in the 1940s and never published another novel after "To Kill a Mockingbird" came out in 1960. She has been quoted to say that story came out of her youth in that town, where her friendship with author Truman Capote was forged. Capote is said to be the inspiration for her character 'Dill', and instrumental in bringing the story to the page. It was turned into a movie starring Gregory Peck in 1962.

Speaking at the University of Alabama for a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder described how Lee's novel illustrates that a system can "grind innocent people into the ground," something he said was important to remember. While many people recall the heroism of Lee's fictional hero, attorney Atticus Finch, in defending a black man wrongly accused of rape, Holder said they often forget that Finch's client was still convicted and, ultimately, killed. "It's a book about injustice, a cautionary tale, but at the same time it's a book about courage," said Holder, speaking in a crowded lecture hall in the law school. "As we have seen in recent decades - and, unfortunately, in recent days - the world has not yet run its course of intolerance and bigotry. Injustice remains. Divisions and disparities remain. Bias- and hate-fueled violence persists," continued Holder. This is a story for our times.