UNA Theatre to Stage 'Doubt' March 17-19

Mar. 10, 2011

FLORENCE, Ala. – Set in fall 1964 at a Catholic church school in the Bronx, two nuns, a priest and the mother of the school’s first African-American student struggle with issues of doubt and certainty in the 2004 John Patrick Shanley play “Doubt.”

The University of North Alabama Department of Music and Theatre will present “Doubt: A Parable” March 17-19 at 7:30 p.m. at Norton Auditorium. Shanley’s play, which snagged the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Tony Award for Best Play and Drama Desk Award for Best New Play in 2005, was adapted to film in 2008 with actors Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis.

Directed by Dr. David Ruebhausen, associate professor of theatre, the play takes place shortly after the Cuban Missile Crisis and President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, when the world was in a state of uncertainty and insecurity. “Doubt” follows a scandal that breaks out between characters Sister Aloysius, Sister James and Father Flynn.

“I did a comedy in the fall, and it’s nice to be able to balance that out this spring with a drama,” Ruebhausen said. “It’s a really wonderful character play that deals with the issues of doubt. People can relate to it in terms of how they can find hope and truth in such an uncertain world.”

The play, which will have limited seating with up to 140 seats available each night of the performance, is one of four smaller plays the department will feature this semester in preparation for the final construction of the black box theater that will be completed in 2012. Ruebhausen said “Doubt” also gives the four student-actors, who will graduate this year, the opportunity to star in a play with complex character roles.

Admission to the play is $5 for students, faculty and staff and $10 for the general public. Tickets will be available at the door. For more information, contact the Department of Music and Theatre at 256-765-4516.

The “Doubt” cast includes:

Liza Montgomery, of Florence – Sister Aloysius

Brittany James, of Russellville – Sister James

Andrew Maxwell, of Rogersville – Father Flynn

Cydney Harper, of Birmingham – Mrs. Muller

The “Doubt” production cast includes:

Adam St. John, of Florence – Rehearsal assistant

Ali White, of Killen – Stage manager