This weekend and next, American playwright John Patrick Shanley’s “Doubt” is showing at the Starkville Community Theater.
“Doubt” got its start in 2004 at the Manhattan Theatre Club in New York City.
The Wall Street Journal called the Manhattan Theatre Club’s performance of “Doubt” the season’s best new play.
During its run in New York, the show won many awards, including a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award in 2005.
“Doubt” is set in 1964 in a Catholic school New York City’s Bronx Burrough.
Conflict arises when the school principal, Sister Aloysius, accuses the parish’s new priest, Father Flynn of “interfering” with the school’s first African-American student, also one of the altar boys.
“It’s a very touchy subject,” Thomas La Foe, who plays Father Flynn, said. “There are times when it’s a little uncomfortable to watch because of what’s said.”
It is more common to hear accusations of this nature now, but in 1964, this type of thing was just being discovered, he said.
Throughout the play, Sister Aloysius, a traditionalist nun, holds to her accusations and Father Flynn, a progressive priest, maintains his innocence.
In the end, audiences must decide for themselves who they believe.
It is easy to slant the show in favor of one character over another, but director Gabe Smith does a good job of keeping it fair, La Foe said.
Whether characters are favored or situations are analyzed, there are a lot of ways to interpret the show.
“Everybody will come out of there thinking about something,” Smith said.
Smith recalled a quote from a critic saying the entire play is like the first act; when you leave the theater is when the second act begins.
When asked if he thought Father Flynn was guilty, Smith said he could not say because no one really knows.
“If you leave the show thinking that you know what happened, you probably don’t have enough information to really know,” he said.
Some people may leave the theater unsatisfied, because the play can leave you hanging, Smith said.
The show really does leave the audience with doubt, as the title suggests.
The recent theatrical debut of “Doubt” adapted from Shanley’s play has been nominated for 28 awards, including five Oscar nominations, and has eight wins, including a Screen Actors Guild award for Meryl Streep, who played Sister Aloysius in the film.
The film version of “Doubt” played in Starkville for one week, but few people saw it, Smith said.
If attendees did see the film, Smith ensures the SCT version is very different.
Both La Foe and Smith said “Doubt” is good show.
The Starkville production of the show is also an opportunity for students to see a show covering these areas of Catholic school, La Foe said.
“It’s a really great show,” he said. “It’s great to see this production done here. It’s a neat show to watch.”
“The Starkville Community Theater provides entertainment that students rarely take advantage of,” senior graphic design major Lialah Putman said. “‘Doubt’ would be a good show for students to go see.”
The cast for the show includes La Foe as Father Flynn, Brenda Mayo as Sister Aloysius, Maggie Spann as Sister James and MJ Etua as Mrs. Miller.
Smith, an MSU graduate, has been with the Starkville Community Theater for eight years, but this is his first show to direct there.
The show is one act that runs for 90 minutes.
Performances run from Thursday to Sunday and Tuesday to Feb. 28.
The Playhouse on Main is a small theater with 89 seats, so students are encouraged to make reservations for the show.
For ticket or show information, call the Starkville Community Theater box office at 323-6855.