An Introduction to DOUBT, A PARABLE

Set at the fictional Bronx-area St. Nicholas Catholic school in the fall of 1964 on the cusp of the Second Vatican Council, DOUBT, A PARABLE, written by John Patrick Shanley, involves a conservative older nun, Sister Aloysius (Katherine Goforth), who does not approve of teachers who offer friendship and compassion instead of the discipline she feels students need in order to face a harsh world. When she suspects a priest, Father Flynn (Dave Blamy), of an unspeakable crime against one of the students under her charge, she is faced with the prospect of charging him with unproven allegations and possibly destroying his position as well as her own.

To help build her case, she asks for help from an idealistic young nun, Sister James (Emily Rast), who finds her compassion and love of teaching challenged by the strict codes of the older woman. Sister Aloysius also turns to the student’s mother (Iesha Hoffman). The focus of the play is a small group of individuals in a small school, but the huge issues raised will resonate with the audience long after the lights come down. Much of the play's quick-fire dialogue tackles themes of religion, morality, authority and certainty.

DOUBT, directed at Theatre Charlotte by Gina Stewart, is about how we arrive at certainty and how we deal with uncertainty. Though couched in the issues of morality and authority, this play is about the whole of idea of certainty or lack thereof and that having a lack of certainty and living in doubt can be a passionate exercise rather than something that cuts you off at the knees and makes you weak. In fact, it can make you strong. To live in a state of doubt is to live in a dynamic present tense way rather than sit back on the couch of convictions.

DOUBT has garnered critical acclaim and awards since its debut in 2005. The play was heralded as "Best Play of the Year" by over 10 newspapers and magazines, including Time, Entertainment Weekly, and The Wall Street Journal. The Broadway performances of DOUBT have received numerous awards. It assembled 8 nominations for the 2005 Tony Awards and won 4 Tonys, including Best Play. For DOUBT, Shanley was awarded the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, an award he could put on the mantle next to his Academy Award for Best Screenplay for the 1987 film, Moonstruck, starring Cher, Nicolas Cage and Olympia Dukakis.

Shanley wrote and directed a film adaptation of DOUBT in 2008 starring Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius, Philip Seymour Hoffman as Father Flynn, Amy Adams as Sister James and Viola Davis as Mrs. Muller. Released to great fanfare, the film received 5 Academy Award nominations, including a nod for Best Adapted Screenplay, among its acclaim.

Theatre Charlotte's production promises to be a highlight of the theatre season. The show runs January 20 through February 5. Tickets are available now through CarolinaTix at (704) 372-1000 or http://www.carolinatix.org/default.asp?tix=59&objId=2568