'Doubt' at the Everyman Theatre

This is not the first time I’ve seen productions I’ve enjoyed better at the Everyman Theatre than on Broadway. Sure, Doubt on Broadway won the Tony Award for Best Play, Cherry Jones received the Tony for Best Actress in a Play, won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, but I found the play lacking and unenjoyable.
 
But, Director Vince Lancisi dare I say can perform miracles.
 
The Everyman Theatre’s production is just plain brilliant. Sure the intimate setting helps.
But the actors are astonishing.
 
I love the first line, “What do you do when you’re not sure”
 
Laura Giannarelli (Sister Aloysius) is terrific as the principal at a Catholic school in 1964 in the Bronx (where the author John Patrick Shanley is from). She suspects a charismatic priest (Clinton Brandhagen in a difficult role) may have taken some improprieties with the only Black student in the school (age 12) who serves as an alter boy. Katy Carkuff plays the boy’s teacher and Dawn Ursula plays the boy’s mother. Hard to believe she’s only on stage for ten minutes. But what a ten minutes.
 
My other favorite line by Sister Aloysius concerns penmanship. “Penmanship is dying all across the country.” Oh, how true!!  Another one: “Boys are made of grout, soot, and tarpaper.”  More?? “Frosty the Snowman should be banned.” What a role it is and Brandhagen relishes each and every line.

 It is a wonderful cast and Lancisi knows how to make it work.
 
The clever set by James Fouchard and wonderful lighting by Jay A. Herzog add to the enjoyment.
 
While pedophilia may not have been a hot topic back in early 1960's, I recently read a story of a similar incident at a Catholic School in New York.
 
The sad news is this wonderful production ends this Sunday, Oct. 5.
 
If you can make it this week-end, you will be glad you did.
 
The film arrives in theaters Dec. 12,  2008 and it stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams. The playwright directs.  Don’t wait for the film.
 
For tickets, call 410-752-2208 or visit boxoffice@everymantheatre.org.
 
For comments, write to cgshubow@broadwayworld.com.

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