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When Pat Ganz first started making plans for the Greater Hamilton Civic Theatre production of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” she didn’t know exactly how relevant it would be.

Based on the classic 1961 novel by Harper Lee, the story takes place in the deep South, circa 1935, in which a young girl faces racial prejudice in her small town.

“I thought we were beyond all that,” Ganz said. “I chose it because it’s so beautiful, an important story about tolerance and acceptance.”

But during the rehearsal, news started breaking from Louisiana about “the Jena six,” and the racial strife rearing its ugly head there.

“I thought we were beyond that,” Ganz said. “But apparently we’re not.”

But, she said, the process has shown her that there’s hope, especially in the up-and-coming generations.

“Using the 'n-word’ has been very difficult for my actors,” she said. “Everybody in the cast has the same reaction. In auditions, people were just skipping over the word, but we have to get over it because it speaks to the times” in which the play takes place.

While rehearsing the scene where the mad dog roams the streets and the black maid Calpurnia runs to the house next door, Scout has a line wondering if she shouldn’t be going to the back door. Ganz said she asked 10-year-old Leah Hall if she knew what that line meant. She didn’t.

“So I explained to them that at the time, black people had to use different entrances to buildings and different drinking fountains,” Ganz said. “All the kids looked at me like I was nuts, and I loved that they didn’t understand it.”

The cast also includes Joe Nagle as Atticus, Jordon Quisno as Jem, Cory Ziller as Dill, Deasca Donaldson as Calpurnia, Tom Redman as Heck Tate, Michelle Lewis as Miss Maudie, Shirley Moser as Miss Stephanie, Linda Hurley as Mrs. Dubose, Dan Riggsby as Mr. Gilmer, Matt Reed as Judge Taylor, Kevin Bell as Rev. Sykes, Kim Gibson as Mrs. Sykes, Monica Tenhover as Mayella, Dan Britt as Bob Ewell, Matt Reed as Walter Cunningham, Carlos Baxley as Tom Robinson, Roger Iams as Nate Radley, Rhys Richards as Clerk, Teresa Bayer-Iltzsch as Court Reporter, Brett Andress as Boo Radley and Christian Tracy and Jeremy Jones as extras.

how to go
WHAT: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Christopher Sergel, based on the novel by Harper Lee
WHERE: Ross High School, 3601 Hamilton-Cleves Road, Ross
WHEN: 8 p.m. Oct. 11-14, 2 p.m. Oct. 15
COST: $12
MORE INFO: (513) 737-7529; www.ghctplay.com