The Drama “Doubt: A Parable,” opens Friday night, January 28, at the Three Notch Theatre in Lexington Park. Written by John Patrick Shanley and directed by The Newtowne Player’s President, Bill Scarafia, the play, set in 1964, is about a priest accused of committing an impropriety with a young altar boy. While Father Flynn protests his innocence, Sister Aloysius, principal of the school, becomes hell-bent on proving that he is indeed guilty. A young nun, Sister James, is torn between her desire to believe Father Flynn and the conniving machinations of the elder nun.
“Doubt: A Parable” was first produced off-Broadway in 2004, and won a Pulitzer Prize, as well as numerous Drama Desk and Tony Awards. In 2007, it became a hit Miramax movie, starring Meryl Streep. When asked how he came to bring such a well-known script to the community theatre stage, Director Scarafia said, “From the first time I read the script I knew I wanted The Newtowne Players to present this play. It is an outstanding piece of fictional literature. It allows the audience to think and draw their own conclusions. Our venue is perfect for this play. It an intimate space where the audience can be close to the actors and truly feel the story.”
And intimate it is. Clever set design, including rotating pieces that can be combined in various ways to take the story through various locations, keeps the story moving, engaging, and completely believable.
Scarafia has certainly honed his veteran actors to perfection, as well. Brian Donohue, as Father Flynn, is likable, and yet never lets us forget that there may be a darkness behind his polished exterior. Joanne McDonald, as Sister Aloysius, is equally as powerful in her unrelenting quest to prove her beliefs. Missy Bell, as Sister James, is well-known to the Three Notch stage, not only as actor, but director as well, and brings a sweet, sensitive naiveté to the role, making audiences fully feel her struggle between the two opposing forces. Finally, Shemika Berry completes the four-person cast as Mrs. Muller, mother of the altar boy, and portrays a strong woman who isn’t afraid to stand toe-to-toe with Sister Aloysius, in a beautifully-written, moving, and surprising scene.
Doubt: A Parable begins Friday, Jan. 28 and runs through Feb. 13. Performances are 8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and 3:30 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $15 (with discounts available for seniors, students and the military) at the door or through online reservations at www.newtowneplayers.org. The box office can be reached at (301) 737-5447. The Three Notch Theatre is located in the former Lexington Park Library at 21744 S. Coral Dr., Lexington Park.
