13th Street Theatre opens its 2024-25 season on Friday with “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

The play is based on the beloved Harper Lee novel of the same name that is set in a small town in Alabama, where widowed lawyer Atticus Finch defends a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. The trial exposes the violence and bigotry of the seemingly idyllic town as Atticus remains committed to seeing justice done and teaching his children to have the courage and compassion to fight for what’s right.

This production is the 1990 adaptation by Christopher Sergel, not the Aaron Sorkin adaptation that opened on Broadway in 2018.

Bob Kilpatrick directs a cast that includes Jim Hagan, Eva Pfeiffer, Conor Schor, Marcus Lowery and Dennis Dixon.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” will be staged at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday through Sept. 29 at Ashtabula Arts Center, 2928 W. 13th St., Ashtabula. Tickets are $17 for adults, $15 for students, senior citizens and military and $13 for children ages 2 to 12 if purchased in advance at ashtabulaartscenter.org or by calling 440-964-3396. Tickets are $19, $17 and $15 if purchased at the door.

Preceding the Sept. 28 performance will be a panel discussion at 6 p.m. on “Race, Justice, and the Arts.” Educators, community leaders and racial justice advocates will critically examine the production’s continued relevance today,reflect on its portrayal of racism in the American South, and discuss how theater can inspire critical dialogue and deeper understanding.

According to Assistant Director and AAC board member Nicole Noscal, “Together, we’ll explore how the arts can be a powerful tool for building community, fostering advocacy, and helping dismantle systemic racism as we work toward a more just and equitable future.”

The panel is free to attend.