Local Actress to Portray Calpurnia in ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’

Jacqueline Williams (“Calpurnia”) and Richard Thomas (“Atticus Finch”) share tea. Photo by Julieta Cervantes
Jacqueline Williams (“Calpurnia”) and Richard Thomas (“Atticus Finch”) share tea. Photo by Julieta Cervantes

 Local Actress to Portray Calpurnia in ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’

By Tia Carol Jones

Harper Lee’s book To Kill a Mockingbird and the film have always been a favorite for Jacqueline Williams. She never imagined there would be a live theater treatment of the book.

Jacqueline Williams portrays Calpurnia in the National Broadway Tour of Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, opposite Richard Thomas, who portrays Atticus Finch. The play will run from Aug. 8th through August 13th  at the CIBC Theatre, which is located at 18 W. Monroe St.

“Aaron Sorkin has written this adaptation and the world knows how brilliant of a writer he is.  He has truly done a masterful job of this adaptation. He has remained true to Miss Harper Lee’s story and intent and has masterfully also made it even more relevant today and fleshed out the roles of Calpurnia and Tom,” Williams said.

With the Aaron Sorkin version of “To Kill A Mockingbird,” the audience gets to hear from Calpurnia and Tom in a way they didn’t get to hear from them in the book or in the film. Williams described Calpurnia as smart, wise and funny, and added, “she’s the truth.” She called it a “joyful blessing” to play the role opposite Richard Thomas.

Williams said she prepared for the role being Black in America, and her family is from Mississippi. Rehearsals were all about connections for Williams, the connection to Thomas and developing their relationship. She also focused on her relationship with Maeve Moynihan, who portrays Scout, and Justin Mark, who portrays Jem.

“I didn’t have to go back and find out history or dig up history. Fortunately, it’s out there and unfortunately, we’re still dealing with it today,” Williams said. Jacqueline Williams got her start in theater as a young child in grade school performing in the annual Christmas play. Williams, who is from the Chicagoland area, went on to act in community theater, and graduated from the Theatre School at DePaul University.

Williams has performed on stage and for film and television. She said while it is fundamentally the same process, acting for theatre and acting for stage and film, the skills are a little different. With television and film, it is more intimate, with the camera right on the person. With theatre, an actor has to project to fill a theater of a thousand people.

Williams is able to leave the show in the theatre.  Fortunately, the story doesn’t end on a deep downer. So, she doesn’t have an issue with playing the role of a Black woman living in the South and working for a white lawyer on a case of a Black man accused of rape.

“I know exactly who I am as a Black woman in America. As a mother, sister, an aunt and all the roles I am in my real life.  I know how I have lived and walked through my life and have treated others. I know the energy and the good I’ve tried to put out each day of my life. I’m a praying woman and I have faith in the way I will continue to walk and grow through this life, tomorrow and the next day and the next day,” she said.

Williams hopes people have conversations with people in their lives, also with God, about what they’ve done in their lives to make things better. Also, she wants people who see the play to think about what they can do, moving forward, to help make things better.

“I also hope, for those who haven’t been practicing this, do try to proceed in life with some respect and understanding of others. If we do that, we can really start to make some progress,” she said.

Mary Badham who played Scout in the film is also part of the cast. Williams said it feels as if they have a good luck charm on tour.

For more information about To Kill a Mockingbird, visit www.tokillamockingbirdbroadway.com. To purchase tickets to the performances, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

STARR Community Services International, Inc.