Still recognized around the world for his Emmy-award-winning role as a caring family member and budding author John-Boy Walton, Thomas is currently starring in the iconic role of Atticus Finch in Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of the national tour of To Kill a Mockingbird, directed by Bartlett Sher. Based on the 1960 Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee, it is an American classic still widely read in middle schools and high schools today. The time-honored story focuses on the serious issues of rape and racial inequity, and Thomas’ role as Atticus Finch, the narrator’s father, has served as a moral hero for many readers and a model of integrity for generations of lawyers. Thomas’ film roles include Last Summer, Red Sky at Morning, September 30 and Wonder Boys. On television, he has also appeared in NCIS: New Orleans, The Blacklist, The Americans, Tell me Your Secrets and Billions. He has appeared in many Shakespeare and Broadway productions and had his professional debut at seven years old in Sunrise at Campobello on Broadway. Of his decision to take on the role, Thomas said it was an easy one. “The source material is such an important part of American literature and it has had such an influence on so many people starting from the time that they are young,” Thomas exclusively tells Parade.com. Thomas said that Sorkin’s adaptation took a good story and enhanced it. “I love what Aaron did with all of the roles, especially Atticus,” he adds. “He has accomplished something terrific where he’s just sort of taking him off the pedestal and giving him a more vulnerable journey where he learns as much as everybody else does in the course of the story.” Read on for more about Richard Thomas’ long and illustrious career in television, film, and stage, and why he urges all of us to see his current tour.
Why did you want to play this iconic role?
It is a great part, why would I not want to be a part of it? Atticus was already beautifully human in the novel, and Aaron really made such a flesh and blood character out of him. If the role had not been treated the way it was in the adaptation then it probably would not have been as compelling. It is such a beautiful adaptation and the role is so good on the page. Bart Sher did such a great job that when I saw the show on Broadway (with Jeff Daniels) I thought it was wonderful. I knew it would tour, and then when the invitation came for me to play Atticus, that made me happy. It is just a beautiful piece of theater.
Did you spend any time talking to Aaron Sorkin about the play?
He came to rehearsals and watched and he talked about it; he has been incredibly supportive. He’s been a real presence for all of us when we were getting ready for the tour. It has been a very amicable association so far.
What was your first experience with either the book or the movie? Do you remember?
I read it in school like so many people do and I was moved by it and disturbed by it. Most young people read this book at an age when they are starting to develop a heightened social consciousness, so they are discovering community and how the world works, which is a perfect time to read this book, which is so much about the loss of innocence in childhood. I re-read the book in preparation for this role because I wanted to get back to the source material. If you liked this book as a young person, you might really consider reading it again. As an adult, and as a parent, it is an entirely new experience and equally as wonderful and maybe even richer the second time around.
How is the tour going?
First, I love touring. My first tour was in Twelve Angry Men, which we did for Roundabout, and then about four years ago I toured in The Humans, which was a wonderful play. Both tours were very successful and very satisfying. Touring is a very old and primary way to be an actor. Going with your colleagues from town to town, setting up your shop and doing your show for people, and moving on is wonderful. This is a particularly thrilling show to take around the country because people have a great identification with the material and it is interesting to feel the responses in different cities and all that. In addition, this company is wonderful. If you are touring in a good production of a good show with a good company you are in great shape. Overall, touring is difficult and taxing. You need good colleagues, solid material, and a great production. When all of that comes together, it’s like a magic carpet. Melanie Moore, who plays Scout, is just so gifted. Jacqueline Williams, who plays Calpurnia, is wonderful, and Yaegel Welch, is superb as Tom Robinson, Those roles are very rich now in this adaptation so I think people get a full sense of the whole community of the play. It is a wonderful company of actors.
What did you enjoy about your tour of Twelve Angry Men, which is a favorite of mine?
We had a wonderful company. It was a beautiful production directed by Scott Ellis. That is what holds you and that is what carries it through. If the world of the play that you inhabit is satisfying and well done then it gets you through the long haul.
What is that like all these years later to still be loved for The Waltons?
I cannot even believe that the half-life of that part is so extraordinary. I’m glad because I loved the show. I’m proud of it and it did so much for me, of course. It did everything for me. I love the association and people who watched it as kids and now watch it with their kids or grandkids. It’s become sort of a generational experience. It just continues to amaze me the long-lasting effect of that show, and the affection that people have for it. It’s a real blessing. It gives me a lot of happiness.
What was working on Ozark like?
Oh, it was a total blast. Laura [Linney] and I go way back. One of the things that is so funny about it was like four or five years ago, I played her husband on Broadway in The Little Foxes. I went from husband to father in a very short amount of time. We have great fun together, she’s a wonderful colleague and a terrific actress and it was a great part. It was just delicious to play. Sort of the anti-Atticus. It was a great show, with wonderful actors. It was a great experience, lots of fun. I loved it!
Back to To Kill a Mockingbird—did you discuss with the director, and your castmates, how relevant the racial issues are today?
Of course, we talked about it all the time. We had many conversations during the rehearsal process. Bart is a wonderful director and a marvelous sort of father to a production; he was very articulate about his feelings about it. The thing about this material, this novel, is that—and I don’t talk about the movie because the movie’s another adaptation. This play isn’t a version of the movie, this play comes from the novel and it’s very different in many, many ways from the film. Atticus is a very different person. I love the movie, of course, it’s a wonderful film and Greg Peck is great in it, but I haven’t seen the film for many years. At some point, I will probably take another look at it. The thing about this material is that it is always going to be relevant to us, to Americans, because we have such an admirable aspiration towards what we think we can be and ought to be as a society. Of course, as always happens with a lot of aspiration, one falls short. The material takes a hard look at what we aspire to be and how short we fall of that aspiration, but how in realizing—that’s why I say the loss of innocence because one of the things that Aaron has done so beautifully is that he’s made this about Atticus’ loss of innocence, as well, not just the kids. So that the idea of coming face-to-face with the hard reality of your community and how it doesn’t live up to the ideals that you have been living with and to set yourself to actually see the reality but not lose the aspiration is a real task. It’s a task for all of us because we’re always so frustrated.
What did you learn about yourself and your acting from this production?
Well, acting is pragmatic; you’re on your feet figuring it out from night to night and during the rehearsal process. One isn’t in it to have any great revelations about oneself when it’s just you’ve got your head down and you’re doing the work and you’re figuring it out from night to night based on how it’s going. You’re always trying to improve your skills accumulate and you know where the laughs are. You are really just doing this job. In terms of its impact on me, you spend eight times a week thinking about the circumstances of the play so it brings you closer to the history of the play, when it takes place, our stories as Americans, the issues that are presented in the play. Then you have the very particular journey of your own character, whatever your role is going through. Whatever your character goes through in its journey through the play will make you reflect on those aspects of your own life. It’s unavoidable. It’s the character and the best way to do that is to find where the affinities are. Everybody goes through most of the things one’s character goes through at one time or another, so there are points of identification and you have insights. There is no grand theme of learning from a play, you are just trying to do it and get it right for the audience.
How do you spend your off time on the road? Do you check out restaurants or museums?
Yes, museums always. At my age, this role is particularly demanding so I’m very monkish. I tend to be very monkish when I’m doing a show anyway. My day is geared to what happens when the curtain goes up and so that is what is always in the forefront of my mind. I don’t do as much. I have been to these cities before, most of them, so I’ve seen a lot of the things that you only need to see once. There are certain things, like in Washington there are certain museums I love to see. If there is a local flavor in the food or something like that, that’s always wonderful.
Overall, why do you recommend readers check out this tour?
I think that, first of all, if it were just a production of To Kill a Mockingbird that might be reason enough to see it because of people’s emotional connection to the material and what a pertinent and important story it is for us to tell ourselves over and over. I would say this comes with a double recommendation in that the adaptation by Aaron Sorkin and the exemplary direction, Bart Sher is an amazing director. Then this wonderful company that he’s put together of actors means that you’re not just going to go and see To Kill a Mockingbird this is a great story, but it’s a theater experience. On the road a lot, people have not seen many plays. They have seen many musicals but not a lot of plays. If you want to have the play experience with something that is really a good theatrical event then come see us because we will give you a lot. It is a beautiful company, a beautiful show, and a beautiful piece of theater, so we want you to come and we want to tell you this story. Next, find out what Jeff Daniels said about starring as Atticus Finch on Broadway!
