2011 Season – Masks

Doubt
By John Patrick Shanley

Directed by

Kathleen Clarke Ruttum

With Kelly Armstrong, Jim Gallagher, Tori Kontor, Mary MacLeod

In this brilliant and powerful drama, Sister Aloysius, a Bronx school principal, takes matters into her own hands when she suspects the young Father Flynn of improper relations with one of the male students. Winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award. “A gripping story of suspicion cast on a priest’s behavior that is less about scandal than about fascinatingly nuanced questions of moral certainty.” – Variety.

Director’s Notes

When I sat down to write these notes a few weeks ago, I sat down with the intention of relating my experience of directing this show. I was going to tell of the many hours spent in preparation, even before the auditions. I was going to tell about how exciting the audition process was and about the unexpectedly strong showing of talented hopefuls eager to try out. I was going to tell how superb my cast is (they truly are superb) and how incredibly my crew is (they are incredible). I was going to tell a lot of things.

But after the events of my life in the past week, all that has changed. Because, you see, I have lived this story.

Sure, I had doubts—plenty, as a matter of fact. But not the kind of doubt that Fr. Flynn refers to in his opening monologue. I hadn’t had the crisis of faith, hadn’t known the fall-to-my-knees-and-wail kind of doubt. But now I have…and it scared me. And it made me question everything. And it insisted on my attention. And the more I ran from it, the more it butted me in the head and forced me to spend time really thinking—really thinking—about this life.

I agree with the playwright when he says that doubt can be a powerful bond, as strong and sustaining as certainty. In his introduction to the play, John Patrick Shanley writes, “Doubt requires more courage than conviction does, and more energy; because conviction is a resting place and doubt is infinite—it is a passionate exercise.”

No matter what your religious background, I hope that you are able to find some aspect of truth in this play. Life is not all black and white and, you know what, I wouldn’t want it to be. I take great comfort in knowing that I am not alone in this journey of life. Even when I feel isolated and alone, I am not so. I hold on to the things that are dear…doubt, being one of them.