Concord Theatricals has acquired the worldwide licensing rights for “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s 1960 novel. The play will be available for school, amateur and professional productions through the licensor’s Samuel French imprint.
“Doing plays in high school and college and my local community theater is what made me want to write plays,” said Sorkin in a statement. “I’m thrilled that Concord is making ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ available for stock and amateur productions now and I’m wishing everyone who does the play the best of luck.”
“I stand second to none in my admiration for Aaron Sorkin’s incredible writing, and we are proud to continue to be his licensor and publisher,” added Concord’s chief theatricals executive Sean Patrick Flahaven. “Harper Lee’s enduring classic remains relevant and inspiring, and Aaron’s masterful stage play will continue to engage and enthrall audiences from schools to professionals worldwide.”
Sorkin’s adaptation of “To Kill a Mockingbird” began performances on November 1, 2018 at the Shubert Theatre, where it ran until the 2020 Broadway shutdown. “Mockingbird” resumed performances at the Shubert on October 5, 2021 and ran until Jan. 16, 2022, later transferring to the West End’s Gielgud Theatre. “To Kill a Mockingbird” broke box office records as the highest-grossing American play in Broadway history, and was nominated for nine Tony Awards during its initial run. Celia Keenan-Bolger won the Tony for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play for her turn as Scout Finch.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” was also the first Broadway play ever to have been performed at Madison Square Garden, where it played to an audience of roughly 18,000 New York City public high school students, the largest attendance ever at a single performance of a play. “To Kill a Mockingbird” has since embarked on an international tour.
