2005 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play “Doubt: A Parable” premiered Thursday night at The Empire Arts Theatre in downtown Grand Forks.

John Patrick Shanley wrote the play in 2004, and since then it has seen 525 performances on Broadway and been turned into an Academy Award nominated film starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep.

The play takes place in the Bronx, during the fall of 1964 at the fictional St. Nicholas Catholic school.

The first act opens with a sermon by Father Flynn, an adored parish priest, addressing the importance of doubt.

In the following scenes, Sister Aloysuis, the head principal with a conservative demeanor, is trying to get Flynn, fired because of accusations of sexual misconduct against the school’s first African American student, Donald Muller. Meanwhile, Sister James, an inexperienced school teacher, is idly watching, naive as to Sister Aloysuis’s cynical ways.

Throughout the performance, Sister Aloycuis talks with Mrs. Muller, Donald’s mother, regarding his performance in school and his relationship with Father Flynn.

Toward the end, through a rollercoaster of accusations against Flynn, he calls the bishop to apply for a transfer, where, later, he receives a promotion and is instated as pastor of a nearby parochial school.

The play leaves you shocked, and the blackmailing of Father Flynn never stops.

Overall, the storyline was good. Ticket cost $15 a person which is steep for college students, but is worth it because of the stunning performance by the actors and actresses.

I would give this performance a five out of five stars because of the overall mood the lay creates and the suspicion held throughout.

The play will be having performances again on the 16th – 18th of October at the Empire Arts Theater. I highly recommend you check it out if you haven’t already done so.

Colin Johnson is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected].