Faith and Uncertainty, Hand in Hand
This article originally appeared on Oct. 4, 2012, in Compass, published by The Lakeville Journal Co.
Theater: ‘Doubt’
By Darryl Gangloff
The last few productions I’ve seen at the Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck have all been musicals that featured large casts, moving sets and choreographed dance numbers.
While I enjoyed those shows, the powerful simplicity of “Doubt” was a breath of fresh air that kept my attention glued to the stage until the final line of dialogue.
This play by John Patrick Shanley was adapted into a 2008 film starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis. Each of these actors received Oscar nominations, leaving big shoes to fill for the four cast members in the CenterStage Productions version. Under the direction of Nicola Sheara, they meet that challenge and all deliver wonderful performances.
“Doubt” is set in a Catholic school in the Bronx during the 1960s. Sister Aloysius, the stern principal, questions the relationship between Father Flynn and a young student. Sister James, a young teacher brimming with innocence, is pulled into the conflict, as is the boy’s mother.
Of course, as the title suggests, an air of uncertainty hangs over every scene, the tension building with every word.
Thom Webb begins the play as Father Flynn with a sermon on doubt. He speaks to the audience members from behind his pulpit as if they were his congregation, making them a part of the play.
“Doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty,” he says, setting the tone of the evening.
Webb adds to this sense of uncertainty by being such a likable figure. His huge smile, his pleasant demeanor, his happy tone — it all adds up to a man you can trust.
Or can you?
Is he too good to be true?
Is he hiding a terrible secret?
Webb is able to keep the audience guessing, even as bits of frustration and anger begin to emerge following Sister Aloysius’s accusations.
Zsuzsa Manna is perfect for this role. Her face maintains a stony look of distrust, cracking ever so slightly now and then. She’s the embodiment of strict, and her sternness plays well off Webb’s likability. The audience can waver back and forth between who to root for, just as Sister James gets stuck in the middle of it all.
Emily DePew captures the naïve excitement of Sister James, who simply wants to be the best teacher possible for her students. Her bright eyes and pleasant laugh begin to fade as she’s caught in this web of doubt.
Jhanae Bonnick, who plays Mrs. Muller, the mother of the boy in question, is only on stage for a short time, but makes quite an impact. She demonsrates that this issue may not be as black and white as Sister Aloysius views it from behind her desk.
There is a fifth cast member in this play: the set. Aloysius’s office is cold and sterile, just as the principal views her school. The tree-filled courtyard adds a touch of beauty to the stage, and the dead leaves that carpet the floor provide a crunch that echoes through the room.
The tension created by the impressive acting makes 90 minutes rush by in the blink of an eye. Playwright Shanley said it best in a note published in the playbill:
“You may come out of my play uncertain. You may want to be sure. Look down on that feeling. We’ve got to live with a full measure of uncertainty. There is no last word. That’s the silence under the chatter of our time.”
“Doubt” is playing at the Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck through Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets: $22 adults; $20 seniors. Call the box office at 845-876-3080 or go to www.centerforperformingarts.org.
Theater: ‘Doubt’
By Darryl Gangloff
The last few productions I’ve seen at the Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck have all been musicals that featured large casts, moving sets and choreographed dance numbers.
While I enjoyed those shows, the powerful simplicity of “Doubt” was a breath of fresh air that kept my attention glued to the stage until the final line of dialogue.
This play by John Patrick Shanley was adapted into a 2008 film starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis. Each of these actors received Oscar nominations, leaving big shoes to fill for the four cast members in the CenterStage Productions version. Under the direction of Nicola Sheara, they meet that challenge and all deliver wonderful performances.
“Doubt” is set in a Catholic school in the Bronx during the 1960s. Sister Aloysius, the stern principal, questions the relationship between Father Flynn and a young student. Sister James, a young teacher brimming with innocence, is pulled into the conflict, as is the boy’s mother.
Of course, as the title suggests, an air of uncertainty hangs over every scene, the tension building with every word.
Thom Webb begins the play as Father Flynn with a sermon on doubt. He speaks to the audience members from behind his pulpit as if they were his congregation, making them a part of the play.
“Doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty,” he says, setting the tone of the evening.
Webb adds to this sense of uncertainty by being such a likable figure. His huge smile, his pleasant demeanor, his happy tone — it all adds up to a man you can trust.
Or can you?
Is he too good to be true?
Is he hiding a terrible secret?
Webb is able to keep the audience guessing, even as bits of frustration and anger begin to emerge following Sister Aloysius’s accusations.
Zsuzsa Manna is perfect for this role. Her face maintains a stony look of distrust, cracking ever so slightly now and then. She’s the embodiment of strict, and her sternness plays well off Webb’s likability. The audience can waver back and forth between who to root for, just as Sister James gets stuck in the middle of it all.
Emily DePew captures the naïve excitement of Sister James, who simply wants to be the best teacher possible for her students. Her bright eyes and pleasant laugh begin to fade as she’s caught in this web of doubt.
Jhanae Bonnick, who plays Mrs. Muller, the mother of the boy in question, is only on stage for a short time, but makes quite an impact. She demonsrates that this issue may not be as black and white as Sister Aloysius views it from behind her desk.
There is a fifth cast member in this play: the set. Aloysius’s office is cold and sterile, just as the principal views her school. The tree-filled courtyard adds a touch of beauty to the stage, and the dead leaves that carpet the floor provide a crunch that echoes through the room.
The tension created by the impressive acting makes 90 minutes rush by in the blink of an eye. Playwright Shanley said it best in a note published in the playbill:
“You may come out of my play uncertain. You may want to be sure. Look down on that feeling. We’ve got to live with a full measure of uncertainty. There is no last word. That’s the silence under the chatter of our time.”
“Doubt” is playing at the Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck through Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets: $22 adults; $20 seniors. Call the box office at 845-876-3080 or go to www.centerforperformingarts.org.