The Beaufort Theater Company takes on an American classic that’s every bit as relevant today – and maybe just as shocking – as it was 50 years ago.

To Kill a Mockingbird has been on my mind for a while now. Last year – as the novel celebrated its 50^th anniversary – I reread it for my book club, attended a birthday party for it at our local library, and wrote about it in my column.

From Rants & Raves, June 2010: “I can’t imagine Harper Lee wrote To Kill A Mockingbird in hopes that her readers would come away feeling “comfortable.”  I don’t think any serious author writes for that reason. What I found, upon revisiting TKAM as an adult, was a beautiful, funny, poignant story… that made me deeply uncomfortable. And I needed it. I needed to feel – really feel – how things were at that time, in that place, for those people. I needed to wrestle with their contradictions, recognize their flaws and their gifts, watch as some of them evolved while others stagnated. I needed to see my own resemblance to these characters – even some of the “bad” ones – and acknowledge our kinship. I needed to feel uncomfortable.”

Big tunes and lots of dance in store at Hairspray!

Break out the Aqua Net — the glamour do is back! “Hairspray,” Broadway’s big musical comedy, will be rockin’ the Arts Center this spring with the music and dances of the trend-setting ‘60s — and some very cool coifs.

Casey Colgan returns to Hilton Head Island April 27-May 29 (preview performances are April 27-28) to direct this new-millennium mega hit, winner of eight Tony Awards and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical. He also stars as Edna Turnblad, the protagonist’s mom, in a role traditionally played by a man.

Beaufort Children’s Theatre is back on stage at the USCB Center for the Arts with Seussical, Jr.  one weekend only: April 16 at 7 PM and April 17 at 3 PM.   Join 70 aspiring local actors, ages 6 – 18, as they perform what has become one of the most popular shows in America!  In this fantastical, magical, musical extravaganza, Tony winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (“Ragtime,” “Once On This Island”) have lovingly brought to life all of our favorite Dr. Seuss characters, including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, lazy Mayzie and a little boy with a big imagination ­– Jojo. “Oh, the Thinks You Can Think” captures the show’s spirit of imagination, as the colorful characters transport us from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus to the invisible world of the Whos.