Harper Lee, the author of the semi-autobiographical novel, uses a retrospective mode, shifting from the present to the past, to tell Scout's story of her childhood in Maycomb, Ala., a fictional town that reflects Lee's own small town of Monroeville, Ala.

Under the capable direction of Aaron Posner, the creative energies of set designer Kevin Depinet, the discerning casting of Sandy Ernst and the collaborative skills of a host of others, this story moves us once again, just as it did in 1960 when it was published and in 1962 when Gregory Peck immortalized the role of Atticus Finch in the film version.

Resident actress Deborah Staples narrates the story as the adult Scout. She also takes on the characters of several neighbors of the Finches. She delineates the joys, fears and traumas of Scout and her older brother Jem, as well as their visiting neighbor Dill, who shares their summer adventures with them. (It has been said that Dill represents Truman Capote, who lived next store to Harper Lee before he moved to New York.)

The hub of the narrative is that Tom Robinson, a black farmhand, has been accused of raping and beating a white woman, Mayella Ewell. Atticus Finch (Lee E. Ernst) is asked to defend him, no easy task in 1935 when the Jim Crow laws still ruled the landscape. Finch, a principled man, realizes the seismic nature of the challenge, but feels a moral obligation to take the risk, albeit putting his children into the ravages of the fallout.

Before the iconic trial opens, one gets a flavor of daily life in Maycomb. Scout and Jem are being raised by a black nanny, Calpurnia. The neighborhood is populated by the reclusive Radleys, and the usual gossips and dog-ooders, who are always willing to share their free advice, especially in regard to the behavior of children.

Atticus does his best to foster empathy and tolerance in his offspring, which is a tough call in a town where prejudice and self-righteousness are abound. Somehow the impoverished family still manages to create its own small joys, based largely on imagination and the ties of love that hold them together.

The trial of Robinson and its aftermath are the dramatic scenes in the show. The testimonies of the Ewells (James DeVita and Eva Balistrieri) and Robinson (Jerod Haynes) escalate the tension. Finch's passionate closing argument casts its spell, even causing a long deliberation on the part of 12 white male jurors, a surprising event in that environment. The appearance of Boo Bradley (Alexander Pawlowski), the mysterious neighbor, also holds its surprises.

The show moves smoothly between childhood and adulthood, innocence and the experience of evil. The on-stage music ensemble is effectively used to create mood. The overall impact is provocative. Will we ever learn tolerance and respect? That is the question. This play forces us to assess the progress that has been made, as well as the long road ahead.

Among the very large, capable cast, Ernst, Jonathan Gillard Daly (Sheriff Tate) and the three child actors, Mallory Wallace (Scout), John Brotherhood (Jem) and Thomas Kindler (Dill) were impressive.

The mushrooming interest in this production prompted The Rep to extend its run through March 11.