New England Entertainment Digest - Online
Brought to you by JAC Publishing & Promotions - Serving New England Since 1979!

What is Truth?  TheatreWorks New Milford Opens Tony Award-winning Doubt: A Parable

NEW MILFORD, CT: TheatreWorks New Milford is proud present the powerful, Tony Award- and Pulitzer Award-winning drama, DOUBT: A PARABLE, by John Patrick Shanley. The production opens July 10 for a four-week run.  Set in a Bronx Catholic school in 1964, DOUBT concerns Father Flynn (J. Scott Williams, Brookfield), an amiable new priest who believes the clergy should be thought of "as members of the family" to its congregation. His forward-thinking views immediately clash with those of Sister Aloysius (Noel Desiato, Sherman) - the authoritarian principal who favors discipline over compassion. The conflict mounts towards an explosive climax when Aloysius accuses Flynn of "interfering" with a student based on unproven evidence. 

"The play isn't just about religion, race, or sexism. DOUBT explores the very depths of human nature, the fine line that people walk between morality and ethics, and the motivating circumstances of each decision they make," said Director Alicia Dempster of Danbury. "[Playwright John Patrick] Shanley's dialogue is superb, and he has constructed four very unique, yet familiar, characters. Fortunately, our production features four outstanding performers to fill those shoes and give us a recipe for a magnificent drama that no one should miss."

"Audiences will walk out of this show debating who is lying, who is telling the truth, and so much more," said the show's Producer, Set Designer, and TheatreWorks President, Richard Pettibone of New Milford. "It moves swiftly, is thought-provoking, and has the ingredients of a thriller, a morality tale, a mystery, and like any good drama, even some comic moments."

DOUBT's cast also features Stephanie Jackson (Farmington) as Mrs. Muller and Jessica Alex (Washington) as Sister James.

The production crew includes Technical Director, Scott Wyshynski (Washington); Lighting Designer, Brian Casel; and Costumer Designer, Joseph Russo (New Milford).

DOUBT debuted Off-Broadway at The Manhattan Theatre Club on November 23, 2004 and moved to The Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway on March 31, 2005. The show went on to win both the 2005 Tony Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play was also the basis for the 2008 Academy Award-nominated film with Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

New York Newsday called the play "[The] #1 show of the year. In just ninety fast-moving minutes, Shanley creates four blazingly individual people. DOUBT is a lean, potent drama...passionate, exquisite, important, and engrossing."

DOUBT runs July 10,11 17,18 24,25,26 31 and August 1. Curtain time is 8:00 p.m. Fridays & Saturdays, with a 2:00 p.m. Sunday matinee on July 26. Tickets for all shows are $20.00 for reserved seating.

On Thursday, July 9, senior citizens are invited to a free dress rehearsal at 8:00 p.m. Thursday, July 16 at 8:00 p.m. is TheatreWorks' Pay-What-You-Want night. At this performance, you name the price for your ticket.

Reservations can be made online at WWW.THEATREWORKS.US or by calling the box office at (860) 350-6863.  TheatreWorks is an award-winning, local theatre company located on 5 Brookside Avenue, just off Route 202 (next to the CVS), in New Milford, CT.