When Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” hit the shelves in 1960, segregation and discrimination were not only prevalent nationwide, but commonplace; the civil rights movement was in full swing, and news of protests and riots commanded headlines on a regular basis.

The story, set in 1933-35 in Maycomb, Alabama, follows the astute young Jean Louise (Scout) Finch as she comes of age in a world rife with injustice, guided by her widowed father Atticus, a respected lawyer known for his unwavering dedication to justice for people regardless of race or social class.

Harper Lee’s Pulitzer prize-winning novel has sold 40 million copies over the  55 years since its publication. In also became an integral part of school literary curriculum, acting effectively as a moral guidepost and reflection on one of the most tumultuous times in American history.

The story was first adapted into an Academy Award-winning film starring Gregory Peck, and since 1990, a stage version has been performed annually in Lee’s hometown of Monroeville, Alabama.

Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin is currently working on an adaptation set to debut on Broadway in 2017.

And Thursday, students at Oak Harbor High School began a two-week run of the play, which they selected as this year’s annual drama club production.

The show consists of 20 student cast members and 15 crew members and is directed by Candice Baker.

Their third show will begin 7 p.m. tonight and will continue through Saturday, Feb. 20, with showtimes at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the high school auditorium. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. Tickets cost $12 for adults; $8 for children under 12. Reservations may be made in advance by emailing ohhsdramaclubreservations@gmail.com, or tickets may be purchased at the door.

Baker said school faculty and parents have been “extremely supportive” of the show, despite the fact that the book has become the subject of much controversy in certain school districts because of its use of racial epithets.

She added that the students discussed the issue, and each signed contracts signifying their approval of using such language in the show given the context.

“They’ve been really mature about it,” she said.

The story is particularly special to Baker who, at age 9, played the part of Scout Finch.

“When I was 9 my mom asked me for my bio, ‘What do you want to get out of this show? What should I write down?’” Baker recalled. “I said, ‘I just want people to realize that most people are nice once you really get to know them.’”

Seventeen years later, Baker said, she maintains that goal of instilling the concept of human goodness, compassion and inclusivity in audience members.

Baker noted that such themes in the story play out in characters like Boo Radley, as well as the relationships and interactions between characters of different races and social classes.

She noted that current events such as the Black Lives Matter campaign prove that such issues remain prevalent.

“I think that was the major thing for me — we could open discussion about these kinds of things,” she said.

When dialogue is opened up within a community, it allows the possibility of change, she added.

Sophomore Alex Michaelis, who plays the show’s central character Atticus Finch, Ethan Webb, who plays Dill and Johanna Schmidt, who plays Scout, each echoed Baker’s sentiments.

Schmidt said the theme of “don’t judge a book by its cover” is relevant to society as a whole as well as the high school environment, where it can be easy to form and stick to specific cliques — something she said she avoids, instead befriending classmates based on who they are, rather than their social groups.

Michaelis also said that he, like Finch, dislikes judging his fellow human beings, adding that, like his character, he does his best to bring people together and solve conflict peacefully.

Michaelis added that, though issues such as prejudice and discrimination may dwell in the back of audience members’ minds, he hopes the show will bring such considerations to the forefront.

“It’s always good to have that sort of remembrance, to make you stop and think,” he said.