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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Richard Thomas of ‘The Waltons’ will Play Atticus Finch in Spokane Broadway production of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

Richard Thomas as Atticus Finch in the North American Tour of Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.”  (Julieta Cervantes)

Emmy-winning actor Richard Thomas will entertain Spokane audiences as Atticus Finch for the touring production of “To Kill a Mockingbird” this winter.

It was previously unclear if Thomas would still be with the tour when it came to Spokane’s First Interstate Center for the Arts.

Thomas is best known for his role as John-Boy on the CBS historical drama series “The Waltons,” which was among the highest-rated programs of the 1970s.

After his appearance on the show, Thomas continued work in television, playing characters on “Law and Order,” “The Good Wife” and “The Americans.”

Among his achievements are an Emmy Award for his work on “The Waltons” and a Tony nomination following his appearance in the 2017 revival of “The Little Foxes.”

Thomas’ Finch has generated critical acclaim, with Around Town Chicago saying his Finch was “Sheer perfection – this role was made to be played by Thomas.”

Thomas has been following in the footsteps of Jeff Daniels, who originated the role of Finch in the 2018 Broadway production.

Full casting for the Spokane production will be announced later.

Adapted for the stage by Academy Award-winner Aaron Sorkin, the play is an adaptation of Harper Lee’s iconic 1960 novel that explores the childhood of Scout Finch in Depression-era Alabama. Its enduring depiction of racial injustice and prejudice continues to attract audiences nationwide.

Part of STCU’s Best of Broadway, “To Kill a Mockingbird” will perform at the FICA from Dec. 5-9.

Trevor Picanco's reporting is part of the Teen Journalism Institute, funded by Bank of America with support from the Innovia Foundation.