There
is a theater company in Berlin, MA – that wants us to think. They say that “too
many risky and complex theatrical productions are kept from the public”. They
want audiences to analyze, question, and discuss the messages and meanings of
their plays. The Flyleaf Theater Company chose the play “Doubt, A Parable”, by
John Patrick Shanley. The play won the
2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play and became the 2008
film “Doubt” starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep.
This
production of the play, directed by Mariagrazia LaFauci, takes a hard look at
the complex, dark, and troubling moral dilemmas faced by the people of the
fictional St. Nicholas Elementary School in the Bronx in 1964. Sister Aloysius,
the school principal, suspects the parish priest, Father Flynn of sexually molesting
the school’s only African-American student, Donald Muller. Is the priest guilty
without a doubt? The play makes us think and examine our own beliefs about the
conduct of clergy who are trusted with the lives of children.
What
makes this Flyleaf production unique is that they invited members of SNAP
(Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests), including me, and other
survivors who were sexually abused by priests to come and talk to the actors. They
wanted to understand the reality of how it feels to be abused by those who vowed
to protect us. They helped us by caring and we believe the insight they gained
will make their production of Doubt a better play.
Play Review
Play Review
The theater was filled and the play was a success. There were people
of all ages and the play made a lot of people think about the issue of
pedophile priests who can get access to our children. The director, Mariagrazia
LaFauci put together a group of good actors, eye catching sets and lighting and
an obvious awareness of the reality of the issue to create an image that will
stay with the audience. The play was better than the movie and I think that is
because the movie director didn’t talk to real survivors. It was so great when the Executive Director of
Flyleaf, J. Parker Eldridge, announced that part of the proceeds from the play
will be donated to The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).
Considering that Flyleaf is a non-profit organization what they have done is
even more extraordinary. They are a
great group of professional, dedicated and caring people – thank you all.
Thank you so much for coming to speak with us and for coming to see the production, George and Jean! We are so grateful for your insight and support. It's important to me as a director to keep in mind when working on a show like this that what many people may see simply as an entertaining fiction is unfortunately a reality for many others. Hopefully, by telling these stories in an honest manner, we can help bring greater awareness to issues that need more attention in our world. Thank you so much to you and the others from SNAP who came out to support our production--and we are so glad to have had an opportunity to support the good work that SNAP does!
ReplyDeleteMariagrazia, bringing greater awareness of this issue helps us so much. SNAP helped me, then together with SNAP we helped you and your actors - and then you helped SNAP. These links are making us all stronger and your play, this blog, the work of SNAP all contribute to making the world safer for our children.
ReplyDeleteMy conclusion, after multiple viewings, is that Mother Superior was clearly shown to be a mentally ill person, suffering from OCD, Paranoia, narcissism, perfection in everything & everyone, & was surely on a power trip. She notices EVERYTHING,from the tidbits of tough meat Sister James removed from her mouth & placed on her plate, to the draft wavering napkins beside her on the table, to Father Flynn's fingernail length, his personal preferences (3 Sugars in his tea) as well as intimidating everyone she comes across &/or knows throughout the story. The focus here isn't to be misguided on Father Flynn as it is on one person who is holding on to the past & resisting change (ball point pens, non-Catholic Christmas songs & characters in the Play etc.) so strongly, all of which she takes out & unleashes on a whim-an unproven "feeling" which has little if any merit based on this good man's past, as well as his very sincere attempts to help a child who, in times when racial inequality in the Catholic church was still very prevalent, has other issues besides the color of his skin to deal with. The doubt was very clear, as far as doubting goes, to be nothing more than one persons many psychological defects aimed at a Priest who has done nothing wrong. This is made very clear by the problems she finds in almost everyone, nitpicking at each & every opportunity. Other than her claims of wrongdoing by the Priest, he is nothing but a fun-loving man who is shown to have many friends & admirers, has no glaring psychological issues whatsoever, loves everyone in his Parish & gets along with just about everyone. He's an innocent man targeted by a very troubled woman who is the exact opposite of himself. She opened a can of worms thru what she was told by a suspecting Nun, the very same Nun who accepted wholeheartedly Father Flynn's explanation. That's why she repeatedly broke the rules, lied, & ultimately got her way in doing so. That's all she ever really wanted, was to win, at the expense of whatever, or whoever stood in her way. The "doubt" she had at the end was her finally breaking down, with no more Father Flynn to push around. The way she explains to Sister James that Father became the Pastor of both Parish & school at his new home, a promotion, shows her contempt for his superiority over her, even being in two different Parishes. She had it out for this man, got what she THOUGHT she wanted, but was ultimately left with DOUBT, of her own self, her abilities, her position at her Parish, her beliefs, & yes, even what she THOUGHT she had accomplished. Very few of her feelings or actions were ever for the good of another person. And having someone, anyone with more "power" than her, anywhere she lived &/or worked, could never be accepted by her own persona. This story wasn't what most saw it as, face value. It was about a domineering, mentally ill woman in a position of power, & the lives she affected along the way. The answer came together right at the end of the movie, when she learned her actions actually led to even better things, much better professionally, for the man she "attacked." They both got exactly what they deserved. And therein lies the answer to the moral of this amazing, but so real & true rendition of how good overcomes "evil," & how some, maybe many, people in power may wield their swords & cut off many heads along the way, but in this case, she cut off her own head, & was left with little in the end-forever living in "DOUBT."
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you are qualified as a psychiatrist or if you are just a priest or other follower of organized religion but you miss the point of the play that shows the reality of the widespread damage done by the catholic church to children and those who advocate for them. We need more plays like this that shine the light on how children like me were tortured by those hiding behind God.
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