John Patrick Shanley Receives Dramatists Guild Award for Doubt

John Patrick Shanley has received the Dramatist Guild's 2005 Hull-Warriner Award for his play, DOUBT, now on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre (219 West 48th Street). The award was presented in a ceremony on April 18 in New York City.

Other nominees included Sarah Jones for bridge and tunnel, Tracy Letts for Bug, August Wilson for Gem of the Ocean, and Lynn Nottage for Intimate Apparel.

Founded in 1971, The Hull-Warriner Award is the only award given by dramatists for dramatic work. The Hull-Warriner Award is presented annually to an American author or authors to honor works that deal with social, political or religious mores of the time. Previous winners include John Guare for Six Degrees of Separation, Stephen Sondheim for Sweeney Todd, Harvey Fierstein for Torch Song Trilogy and David Mamet for Glengarry Glen Ross.

The award is named for Elizabeth Hull, a playwright and former production assistant for the Theatre Guild and the Federal Theatre Project, who established the award through her will, and Kate Warriner, an actress and her longtime friend and associate.

Other awards presented included the Frederick Loewe Award to Charles Strouse, the Flora Roberts Award for Michael John LaChiusa and the Lifetime Achievement Award to Stephen Sondheim.

DOUBT, the winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, is playing at the Walter Kerr Theatre (219 West 48th Street). The critically acclaimed play by John Patrick Shanley is directed by Doug Hughes. DOUBT is author Shanley's first play to be produced on Broadway.

The production stars Cherry Jones as Sister Aloysius and Brían F. O'Byrne as Father Flynn, with Heather Goldenhersh as Sister James and Adriane Lenox as Mrs. Muller.

DOUBT is produced by Carole Shorenstein Hays; MTC Productions, Inc. (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer); Roger Berlind and Scott Rudin.

Set against the backdrop of a Bronx Catholic school in 1964, DOUBT is the story of a strong-minded woman faced with a difficult decision. Should she voice concerns about one of her male colleagues…even if she's not entirely certain of the truth?

Set design is by John Lee Beatty, costume design is by Catherine Zuber, lighting design is by Pat Collins, original music and sound design is by David Van Tieghem.

Performance schedule is Tuesday through Saturday at 8:00 PM, with matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2:00 PM, and Sunday at 3:00 PM.

Tickets are available by calling Telecharge.com at 212: 239-6200. www.DoubtOnBroadway.com