The play is performed in Monroeville every yearĮvery year in Harper Lee’s hometown of Monroeville, the 1990 play is put on in the county courthouse grounds, with a cast of townspeople. That version, written by Christopher Sergel, has even made it over to the UK, in Leeds in 2006, York in 2011 and even at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre where it starred Robert Sean Leonard as Atticus Finch.ħ. But the first play adaptation opened in Monroeville in 1990. This is not the fist stage adaptation of To Kill A MockingbirdĪaron Sorkin’s stage adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird opened in the West End in March 2022 at the Gielgud Theatre, having transferred from a successful Broadway run starring Jeff Daniels and Gbenga Akinnagbe. It has now sold more than 40 million copies, been translated into more than 40 languages and has never been out of print since 1960. Harper Lee’s publishers told her that she should only expect to sell a few thousand copies when the book first went to print. But did you know that it came top in a World Book Day poll of British librarians asked “which book should every adult read before they die?”

To Kill A Mockingbird often comes at the top of polls about important books, lifechanging books and books that made change. It’s the book most librarians think you should read No wonder she was able to write a court case in such technical detail. Her father, Amasa Coleman Lee, was also a lawyer. Harper studied law at the University of Alabama from 1945-1949. As you might have guessed if you know the story, the character of Dill is based on him! Harper also accompanied Truman when he travelled around America researching his famous true crime novel In Cold Blood. The two writers grew up next door to each other in Monroeville, where Truman stayed in summers with his aunts. Harper Lee was good friends with Truman Capote Atticus and Jem are both inspired by her father and older brother.

The tale of To Kill A Mockingbird is based on Harper Lee’s memories of her family, her neighbours and an event that occurred near her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama when she was just 10.

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