- By Brett Bossard
- Entertainment
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When the Broadway run of Doubt closed on July 2nd, 2006, it had run 525 performances and 25 previews. The script garnered a multitude of awards and nominations, including four Tony Awards, two Obie Awards, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and the Hangar production of Doubt will be one of the first regional performances of the play anywhere in the country. “I was instantly captivated by this play when I first saw it in New York,” says artistic director, Kevin Moriarty, “and I was determined for our Hangar audiences to be among the first in the country to experience this play in their own community. In the next few years, almost every major regional theater will be producing Doubt, but Ithaca audiences will already have had the thrilling experience of taking the roller coaster ride of this fast-paced play.”
Doubt is set in a Bronx Catholic school in 1964 where the principal, an old-fashioned and rigid nun, suffers a crisis of faith and of responsibility when her suspicions lead her to believe certain things about the behavior of one of the priests in her parish. Should she make her suspicions known, even if she is not entirely sure of the truth? The play shows audiences that doubt is a powerful thing. Playwright Shanley thinks that the concept of doubt “has gotten a bad reputation” in our contemporary culture. He believes that, “People who are utterly certain are vulnerable to a brand of foolishness that people who maintain a level of doubt are not.”
Moriarty believes that the play—which runs at a fast ninety minutes with no intermission—is actually a two-act play. “The first act is performed by the actors and tells a complete story,” he explains. “But the second act, which is just as vital and entertaining, will happen each night after the play, when the audience members engage each other in lively conversations about what they’ve just seen and how they feel about it.” Toward that end, the Hangar is hosting a twenty-minute post-show audience discussion for those who may want to continue the conversation after the performance. Desserts from Sarah’s Patisserie will be available as audience members are invited to share their responses to the plot and themes of the production. “It promises to be a fun and vibrant conversation,” says Moriarty.
To ensure the success of the production, the Hangar Theatre has assembled an experienced team of theatre artists to bring the rich text to life. Hangar veteran Heath Cullens who, among other credits, has directed premieres for the Babel Theatre and for HERE in New York, as well as Know Dog and The Laramie Project with the Hangar’s Lab Company and Next Generation Theater Lab, will helm this production. Wendy Barrie-Wilson, an experienced New York actress who has performed in nearly 100 plays, will play the part of Sister Aloysius, a part she originated in Doubt’s European premiere last year in Vienna. Playing the part of Sister James is Susannah Flood, a newcomer to the Hangar with previous credits that include Emily in Our Town at Trinity Rep Company and Varya in The Cherry Orchard with The Chautauqua Theatre Company. She received her MFA in acting at the Brown/Trinity Consortium in Providence, Rhode Island. Another newcomer to the Hangar, Drew Battles, will be playing Father Flynn. His recent New York credits include the world premiere of We’re All Dead at the Ohio Theatre off-Broadway, and on television’s Law and Order: SVU. Finally, rounding out the talented cast is Ithaca College graduate Gillian Glasco, playing the role of Mrs. Muller. Her previous Ithaca credits include Kiss Me at the Kitchen Theatre and Metamorphosis with The Underground.
Along with a strong cast, the play features a design crew with a myriad of experience. Scenic Designer Michael McGarty’s credits include the Broadway productions of Master Class and Wait Until Dark, as well as a number of productions at Trinity Rep in Providence. Jen Caprio will return to the Hangar as the Costume Designer of Doubt. Her previous Hangar credits include last season’s productions of Bloodline: The Children of Argos and Hello Dolly; she also designed the costumes for the Broadway production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Lighting Designer Matt Richards has extensive Off-Broadway credits that include Playwright’s Horizons, Ars Nova, New York Stage and Film, and Edge Theater Company; he is also an alumnus of the Hangar’s Next Generation School of Theater, a former Production Apprentice at the Hangar, and has designed more than twenty Hangar productions, including last season’s Hello Dolly.
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