The Bentley Theater was transformed into a mid-1960s nun's office this weekend, complete with a rotary telephone, crucifix and portrait of the pope. Some audience members sat in church pews, putting them in the shoes of congregation members as Father Flynn (Bill Calder '12) delivered a sermon to start off the student-run production of John Patrick Shanley's "Doubt."
With strictures against the use of ballpoint pens, discomfort with the Second Vatican Council and sermons referencing the assassination of John F. Kennedy Jr., viewers were transported into the web of distrust and deceit that pervades the St. Nicholas parochial school in the fall of 1964. In "Doubt," directed by Katie Lindsay '11, the audience ultimately fails to discover the truth but learns about the uncertainty of the human experience along the way.
Following Father Flynn's opening sermon, Doubt takes us to the office of the indomitable Sister Aloysius (Mia Jessup '12), principal of St. Nicholas, as she admonishes the young Sister James (Jenny Lamb '13) for being too kind to her eigth grade students. She warns Sister James to keep an eye out for suspicious conduct, especially with regards to Father Flynn, the charming priest who is noted for his unassuming manner and skills on the basketball court, and whose burgeoning friendship with Donald Muller the school's first black student, who never appears onstage may not be as innocent as it looks. Grappling with issues of authority, uncertainty and the changing role of the Catholic Church in a modernizing world, the play culminates in a battle of wills as the deeply traditional Sister Aloysius, believing in absolute morality, risks all to remove Father Flynn from the school.
At first tough and impenetrable, Jessup, as Sister Aloysius, adds depth to her character as she reveals tidbits about the nun's life, including a previous marriage and an appreciation for transistor radios.
Without the appearance of a dominant antagonist, the first scenes between Sister Aloysius and Sister James tend to fall a little flat, but the drama quickly escalates as soon as Sister Aloysius begins her crusade to remove Father Flynn.
"I picked this great play, and then I was like wait, who's going to act in it?'" Lindsay said. "Mia is a 20-year-old actress playing a 50-year-old nun."
The success of the play stems largely from the competence of its actors. "Doubt" is primarily a character piece, and does not rely on spectacle or special effects. The play is compelling as a result of these performances, which are impassioned and engaging despite the fact that not much action actually unfolds "Doubt" relies more on innuendo and references to events than on the events themselves.
Calder delivers one of the most stand-out performances in the show. He shines as the accused Father Flynn, creating a nuanced, sympathetic portrayal of a flawed, conflicted man. He gives his all in the performance, and wins over the audience just as his character wins over the young, impressionable Sister James.
Lindsay referred to Calder's interactions with the audience he addresses some of the audience members in the pews as if they were his students as "challenging the boundaries of theater, just as Father Flynn challenges the boundaries of the church."
Lamb gave a sincere portrayal of the nave Sister James who loses her innocence and Ashley Afranie-Sakyi '13, as Mrs. Muller, the abused boy's mother, is riveting in her single scene, but the show belonged to Jessup and Calder.
To create their layered performances, the actors worked on creating back stories for their characters, and depended on close readings of the text.
"It comes out naturally, over rehearsals," Jessup said, referring to the process of identifying with her character.
Calder, as a suspected abusive priest, had one of the most difficult roles. He said that he had to see his character as a real person, not just a character, and that "a really powerful sense of empathy was the seed for all these things."
Lindsay was drawn to the idea of producing "Doubt" after seeing it performed onstage.
"After I first saw it, I got this feeling in the pit of my stomach," she said. "It was just so powerful."
Although some might be daunted by the task of producing such a critically acclaimed play, Lindsay took the challenges in stride.
"Working with such great actors, and having such a strong text, makes my job so much easier," she said.
In regards to the controversial aspects of the play, Lindsay saw it not as a question of religion but rather an examination of more universal questions of certainty, morality and doubt. Nick O'Leary '14, the stage manager and set director, had attended Catholic school and helped ensure accuracy in the performance. The cast also attended mass at Aquinas House to help prepare for their roles.
"I was more afraid of offending someone if we portrayed something inaccurately, not in regards to the subject matter," Lindsay said.
The cast and crew's effort and dedication paid off, as they managed to create an intense, thought-provoking experience for the audience. Just as Father Flynn says in the play, "what happens in real life is beyond interpretation truth makes for a bad sermon." The play tries to adopt the ambiguity of real life through its intentionally unclear ending, which invites the audience members to draw their own conclusions. Instead of providing one single moral lesson, "Doubt" highlights the uncertainty that unites all individuals and the great strength of character it takes to overcome this confusion and act on convictions alone.
