“Doubt: A Parable”

[rating=3] The Skokie Theatre is back, open for audiences to feel safe in. They are not selling all their seats in order to allow patrons to social distance in the theater. Bravo to Wendy and Wayne for making their loyal patrons feel they can go back. The play they have come back with is one called “Doubt” but also adds A Parable to it’s title. A “Parable” tells us a story and at the same time teaches us a lesson. Written by John Patrick Shanley, this play is set in a time of crisis in our country. To be honest, I have been through many “times of crisis” in my lifetime and I am sure we will have many more. This is set in  1964. Let’s look at events: China exploded an Atomic Bomb! The Warren Commission has just released the papers on the assassination of JFK! Race riots are taking place in many major cities! The Beatles perform on the Ed Sullivan Show! Rumors and stories are coming out about misconduct on the part of priests! That is a lot to digest!

In this particular story, Shanley takes us to a small Catholic Church with a school. The school has been run by the principal, a nun, Sister Aloysius ( played with strength by Judy Rossignuolo-Rice). The new priest, father Flynn, who is far mor e modern that she likes, may have been the cause of an incident regarding a student. The student is a boy, and the only Black one in their school. Remember, this is the 1960’s! Father Flynn ( an excellent performance by Sean Michael Barrett) is more progressive than the Sister and wants to help those in need of help. His ideas are not what Sister Aloysius likes.

When one of the teachers, a younger nun, Sister James ( deftly handled by Sarah Sapperstein) tells the principal her feelings, Sister Aloysius starts the ball rolling. We are led back and forth about the incident and who is right and who is wrong. The doubt in one’s mind is planted and under the direction of  Bernard Rice, we are kept in suspense until the very end. I will say that in all my years of seeing productions of the play, they have always been without intermission. One hour and thirty-five minutes without a break is very doable ( by breaking it down and adding a 15 minute intermission, I feel the story gets muddled in the mind).

I am not one to give away any plots and or sub plots, but will tell you that there are some strong scenes where Principal versus Priest, Priest with nun and a huge scene with the boy’s mother ( Lisa McConnell) who tells us that she has enrolled her son in this school for one reason, to get him into a better high school. She knows who her son is and why his father treats him as he does. Her son is happy at the Catholic School and she will not take him out. Who is right? Who is wrong? What is right?

Played over some great little scenes ( I adored the sermon scenes and how Barrett plays the audience as if we were in his congregation), the audience gets brought into the story. Again, I truly feel that this play is far more effective without the break. I would love to hear from you!

“Doubt a Parable” will continue at the Skokie Theatre located at 7924 Lincoln Avenue in Skokie thru March 6th with performances as follows:

Fridays  7:30 p.m.

Saturdays  7:30 p.m.

Sundays  2 p.m.

Tickets are $38 with seniors and students at $34

Call 847-677-7761 or visit www.skokietheatre.org

The theater does follow the covid rules for Illinois. There is plenty of area parking and downtown Skokie has a great selection of dining spots.

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Doubt a Parable”.