LIVE at Westport Country Playhouse with Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award® Winner “Doubt: A Parable"

Marking its first live theatrical production since 2019, Westport Country Playhouse presents Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award® winning play, “Doubt: A Parable". Written by John Patrick Shanley and directed by David Kennedy, Playhouse associate artistic director, this production will run from November 2 through November 20.

This production is guaranteed to provoke the audience's minds both during and after the show. Sister Aloysius, a school principal with a mandate to uphold tradition, is certain something’s terribly wrong about the relationship between a young parish priest and a troubled boy. But beneath her moral crusade to reveal the horrible truth lies a chasm of doubt, where choices made can reverberate beyond imagination. The stark simplistic set with glowing candles and the strong performances from this four person cast captivated the audience throughout this serious and dark story.

L-R: Kerstin Anderson and Betsy Aidem in “Doubt: A Parable,” by John Patrick Shanley, directed by David Kennedy, at Westport Country Playhouse. Photo by Carol Rosegg

"It's a personal thrill for me to direct the first full production on the Playhouse stage after a nearly two-year hiatus,” said Kennedy. “And to do it with Shanley's remarkable play and this accomplished cast is deeply satisfying. Though a short and simple drama, ‘Doubt’ opens up worlds of complexity and profundity. It truly is a great American drama."

The cast includes Betsy Aidem as Sister Aloysius (Westport Country Playhouse’s “Appropriate”; Broadway’s “All the Way,” “Beautiful”; Obie Award for Sustained Excellence of Performance; film “The Greatest Showman”; recurring role on television’s “Law & Order: SVU”); Kerstin Anderson as Sister James (Lincoln Center Theater’s “My Fair Lady” as Eliza Doolittle; Playwrights Horizons’ “Unknown Soldier” and its original cast album; North American Tour of “The Sound of Music” as Maria); Eric Bryant as Father Flynn (Westport Country Playhouse’s “The Understudy,” “The Invisible Hand” - Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor, “Room Service,” and a Script in Hand playreading of “Mr. Roberts”; Off-Broadway’s revival of “Angels in America”; regional credits include “Almost, Maine” - Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Ensemble; MFA, Yale School of Drama); and Sharina Martin as Mrs. Muller (“Z: The Beginning of Everything” on Amazon Prime; “Blind,” with Alec Baldwin and Demi Moore; and the television series, “Redrum”).

Playwright John Patrick Shanley won the 1988 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the film “Moonstruck.” He wrote and directed the film adaptation of his play, “Doubt,” and earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Shanley is the author of more than 23 plays, which have been translated and performed around the world.

Director David Kennedy is in his thirteenth season as Playhouse associate artistic director. He has directed Playhouse productions each season, including “Suddenly Last Summer,” “Loot,” and “The Invisible Hand,” which received the 2016 Connecticut Critics Circle (CCC) Award for Outstanding Production of a Play, and for which Kennedy won the CCC honor for Outstanding Director of a Play. The creative team includes Charlie Corcoran, set design; Sarita Fellows, costume design; Carolina Ortiz Herrera, lighting design; Frederick Kennedy, sound design; Dana Tanner-Kennedy, dramaturg; Shane Schnetzler, production stage manager; and Tara Rubin Casting.

Performance schedule is Tuesday at 7 p.m., Wednesday at 2 and 8 p.m., Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m. Distanced seating available on Wednesdays, Nov. 3, 10, and 17. Post-show audience discussions with community facilitators on Nov. 11, 12, 16, 19. An option to stream a recorded performance is also available to the public. For more information, visit: www.westportplayhouse.org/doubt

Tickets to attend in person start at $30. Tickets to stream on-demand are $25 individual, $50 pair, and $100 household. Each streaming purchase entitles the ticket buyer to one individual link. To purchase tickets, visit westportplayhouse.org, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or email boxoffice@westportplayhouse.org.

Sharina Martin and Betsy Aidem in “Doubt: A Parable,” by John Patrick Shanley, directed by David Kennedy, at Westport Country Playhouse. Photo by Carol Rosegg