Julieta Cervantes
Richard Thomas as Atticus Finch and Yaegel T. Welch as Tom Robinson in “To Kill a Mockingbird."
For many a pop-culture fan, actor Richard Thomas will be forever labeled as John-Boy Walton, the lovable aspiring author from the CBS TV show “The Waltons” which aired from 1972 – 1981. This role, which still follows Thomas like a tether, earned him two Emmy nominations, one which he took home, and two Golden Globe nominations. However, his acting chops have more range than most people realize. In fact, some of Thomas’ most recent work showcases his grittier side on shows like the Netflix crime series “Ozark” and FX’s cold war series “The Americans.”
Currently, Thomas is on the road stepping into another iconic role, as the revered character of Atticus Finch in Aaron Sorkin’s stage adaptation of Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird.” Although the late Academy Award-winning actor Gregory Peck is best known for his take on this role, Thomas, along with Sorkin, have made a few changes to his persona that will most likely surprise audience members familiar with the film.
Since this play swings by Cowtown this month at Bass Performance Hall on September 26 – Oct 1, Fort Worth Magazine asked Thomas his thoughts on the new adaptation, how he prepares for a role, and how many times he gets called John-Boy on stage.
FM: How did you become involved with Sorkin’s stage production of ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ in the first place?
RT: I knew I was interested in touring this play the moment I heard that Aaron (Sorkin) was adapting it into a play and my old friend and Jeff (Daniels) was going to be in it. If ever there was a perfect story to tell on tour across the country right now, this is it.
FM: How old were you when you first read the book?
RT: I was in school, I don’t remember if it was middle school or high school, one or the other, but I remember I loved it. It was very moving and compelling for a young person. Then I read it again, as I was preparing the play text and I was just reminded that it’s not a young adult novel at all. I’ve told a lot of people who read the book as kids to re-read it again as an adult, especially if you are a parent because it’s like reading a completely different book. Still, it’s a great book for young people to read in high school. That’s really the time in young people’s lives they start developing their sense of justice, social justice, and their feelings about fairness and community.
FM: Did you use anything from the 1965 film as preparation for the role of Atticus Finch?
RT: When I watched the picture for the first time, I was a kid. I wasn’t really doing a comparative study of the two things. I mean, it’s a wonderful movie and everyone is great in it. Greg [Gregory] Peck, who I came to know a little bit in his later years, was obviously a wonderful Atticus Finch. He created, and justifiably so, a much-loved part. But ours is a very different take on this. Aaron wanted to get away from any whiff of our Atticus being labeled a white savior. We don’t need another one of those. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, it’s just we wanted to show Atticus in a more human light. For instance, giving him a sense of humor, I thought was just great. I think we might have an Atticus that’s not just someone you admire but also someone you can actually take the journey with.
FM: Atticus isn’t the only character in the play to get a change, your back and forth with Jacqueline Williams who plays Calpurnia is an added surprise. What is your take on this change?
RT: Besides Atticus, [Sorkin] has really enriched the characters of Tom Robinson and Calpurnia. He’s really placed the relationship between Atticus and Calpurnia, along with Atticus and Scout, at the center of the play. It’s really an aspirational relationship of this two people raising these kids together. And of course, we have Jacqueline Williams who is absolutely superb in the part. She and I have a great chemistry together. I think [Sorkin] has done a great service to Harper Lee’s characters by enriching them for the stage. I think another great innovation is how Sorkin wrote the parts of the children to be played by young adults so you’re not only in the story but telling the story at the same time. Because there is a double consciousness in the story. Scout is a character in the play, but she is also remembering what happened, so Aaron was able to create that double consciousness by casting with older actors. This wasn’t only a great idea, but something we could only do on stage, so it makes it particularly theatrical.
FM: What is your prep routine for a role? Or is it all role dependent?
RT: My act of preparation is always pretty much the same. If there’s a source text to read first, like a novel, or nonfiction story of historical note, I read everything I can to prep. If it’s a part that requires some kind of research, like playing an instrument or playing a character of a certain period of time, I will read as much as I can about the subject matter. Actors are into doing a lot of research, it’s one of the pleasures of preparing a role. So, you immerse yourself in the world of what you are trying to portray and encapsulate as much authenticity as you can. And whatever will help you feel like you are getting it right can be fun and interesting, plus you learn new stuff. I just read the part over and over again and start learning the part. You learn the first five pages and build on that and then for dress rehearsal, you go off book, which is what I like to do.
FM: How many times have people come up to you and said, “Hi John-Boy?”
RT: If I had a nickel for every time that happened, I’d be, you know… I’m sure the name John-Boy will be on my tombstone (laughs). It’s fine with me, I love the Waltons, and I’m proud of it. This show did everything in the world for me, and we’re still like a big family, those of us who are left. We stay in touch all the time. It was a show I loved doing when I was in it, and it makes me happy. Yet, the shoutouts happen all the time. I mean, somebody always yells out, “Goodnight John-Boy” during curtain call almost every time we do the play. You just kind of let it be, right? I mean, it’s a great thing, you got to be grateful.
