By DOMINIQUE WALD dwald@dnews.com
CLARKSTON –– “Doubt: A Parable” first hit the stage in 2004 and quickly captivated audiences worldwide. With its charter friction and challenging subject matter, Abuzz Theatre Company hopes to take it and captivate local audiences with their own production of the Tony Award-winning play, opening Friday.
The play takes place in the fictional St. Nicholas Church School during the fall of 1964. The school’s principal, Sister Aloysius, is a conservative and rigid nun who is vowed to the order of the Sisters of Charity. During a meeting with a younger nun, it’s made clear that Sister Aloysius carries deep mistrust toward society, her students and fellow teachers.
Rebecca Hardin, who plays Sister Aloysius, says she was able to pull similarities from a character she has almost nothing in common with. “At one point in the story, my character states she’s willing to abandon everything she’s invested her entire life in to protect a child,” Hardin said. “As a mom, that tenacity is a quality I appreciate.”
“Doubt: A Parable” was turned into an Oscar-nominated film starring Meryl Streep, making it a story many people are familiar with but Hardin believes Abuzz’s production will have its own unique touch.
“Any production will be unique as it reflects the local culture in which it’s produced,” Hardin said. “You can’t help but be influenced by your environment in a creative endeavor.”
Hardin said the play’s central message of uncertainty will leave audience members with unanswered questions and will introduce completely different ideas on what is right and what is just.
If You Go WHAT: Abuzz Theatre Company presents “Doubt: A Parable” WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday. The show will run through Oct. 11 with show times at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. WHERE: Abuzz Theatre Company, 909 Sixth St., Clarkston COST: $15, tickets can be purchased online at www.abuzztheatre.com.
