One of the most interesting things about Doubt is “what’s it about?” It’s about a nun and a priest, but not really. It’s about race relations, but not really. It’s about how much influence women had in the Catholic Church before the closure of Vatican II, but not really. It’s about child molestation, but not really. At least that’s what I keep hearing when I listen in on discussions in the Barksdale offices.Doubt is our entry in the Acts of Faith Festival. It is about the role that doubt plays in faith, but also a lot more.
To me, if I see something on stage, what I see is at least part of what the play is about. A lot of people think like that. But Doubt is also about what we don’t see on stage and what we don’t hear. Doubt is about how we listen and process what is said to us … how we form an opinion … how quickly we lock into conviction and how comfortable we are to remain in uncertainly.
Playwright John Patrick Shanley (pictured above in front of my favorite Broadway marquee) has written a thrilling, moving and brilliant play. It won the Pulitzer Prize in 2005, which is awarded to the play that best illuminates American culture. It also won the 2005 Tony for Best Play of the Year.
There’s an interesting interview with Shanley and the original Broadway cast on Charlie Rose. You can find it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBYIReuLh9E.
Watch the interview if you like, and then please come see the play. We appreciate your business.
--Phil Whiteway
1 comment:
My theatre just did a staged reading of the play, and it was very well received. I started the talk back explaining how my least favorite question someone can ask is "What is the play about?" and explained that plays like this are the reason I hate it.
It is a wonderful script and you have a great director at the helm of a talented cast. All my best to all of you, I wish I could be there.
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