Original “Scout” to Appear at the Brock Center on Friday, March 23, 2012

The Davie County Arts Council’s Brock Players will have three more performances of their production of To Kill a Mockingbird on March 23rd, 24th and 25th.  They will host a very special guest appearance at the Friday, March 23rd performance.  Mary Badham, who played “Scout” in the film version with Gregory Peck, will be at that performance.

Scout and Atticus from To Kill a Mockingbird

Scout and Atticus from To Kill a Mockingbird

Patrons will see the Brock Players’ rendition of the play and then be privileged to hear Ms. Badham speak about the book and the play after that performance.  She will allow time to answer questions from the audience and then will be in the Brock’s Lobby to sign autographs.

50th Anniversary
This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the film version of To Kill a Mockingbird. Mary Badham was chosen for the roll of “Scout” at the age of ten, with no prior acting experience.  She won an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress.  At that time she was the youngest person ever to do so.  After To Kill a Mockingbird she appeared in two other films, This Property is Condemned with Robert Redford and Natalie Wood, and Let’s Kill Uncle.  She had television appearances on Dr. Kildare and Twilight Zone before retiring from acting to pursue her education as a teenager.

Over the years she maintained close contact with Gregory Peck, “Atticus”, and occasionally accompanied him on one-man-show lecture tours and award ceremonies.

Mary maintains a busy schedule lecturing to audiences internationally about the book and the film.  Her interest is in expanding knowledge about the film’s message of social injustice and to insure each generation of students can experience the film’s impact.

In April 1997 Mary had a vision to reunite the cast and creative team for a national satellite broadcast to United States schools.

Recently Mary was brought out of retirement to appear in the film Our Very Own with Allison Janney, Keith Carradine, and Jason Ritter.  This is out on DVD through Miramax/Disney.

Tickets Available
Tickets are available for all three performances.  Call or stop by the Box Office Monday through Friday from Noon until 5:00 p.m. (751-3000) to reserve a seat (Adult:  $15 /Student and Senior: $13.)  Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday’s performance starts at 3:00 p.m.  The only performance at which Ms. Badham will make an appearance is on Friday, March 23rd at 7:00 p.m.

Our thanks to Judge Jimmy Myers, Davie County Tourism, and Mr. Zach Wright for sponsoring Ms. Badham’s appearance.