By Elizabeth Oakes
Staff Writer
Discussions of whether Father Flynn was guilty or innocent left many audience members with doubts and questions of their own after each Nov. 8-14 showing of “Doubt: A Parable.”
The play by John Patrick Shanley was written in 2004, two years after the Boston Globe and other media publicized 50 years of molestation by more than 4,000 priests in 10,667 cases of child sex abuse. It was set 40 years ago during the civil rights movement and during the Second Vatican Council, a historic series of sessions in Rome that liberalized the Roman Catholic Church.
Father Flynn, played by Peter Riggs, junior philosophy major, is the priest of St. Nicholas Church School. He is accused of sexually abusing Donald Muller, the first black child in the school. The accuser is Sister Aloysius, the principal, played by Jillian Barron, senior French and theater double major.
More than 150 people turned out for the evening discussions with the actors, led by a different university faculty member each night. Theresa Blakely, professor of social work, led the final discussion.
“We will not forget these characters. This play makes important statements in 2012,” Blakely said, adding that the play reminds observers Jerry Sandusky, who was accused of sexually abusing young football players at Penn State.
The audience was never shown evidence for whether Father Flynn was guilty or innocent, but that did not stop viewers from having doubts of his character.
“I think generally people wanted to like me but many of them were not able to because of the accusations that were made,” Riggs said. “The majority of people that we surveyed came away thinking I was innocent, although none of them really trusted me.”
Each night’s discussion came down to the worldview of the characters.
Riggs described it this way: “Both of us are oriented in love. Father Flynn is more emotional and wants to be more intimate and helpful, whereas Sister Aloysius is more legalistic and believes people can be helped by following a set of rules.”
“These two characters have vastly different methods of caring for kids,” Will Burke, junior music theory major said. “I think the point of the play is that it is okay to choose a side, and there are people out there that will side against you.”
Although many had clear opinions of Father Flynn and Sister Aloysius, a commonly misunderstood character was Mrs. Muller, the boy’s mother, played by Glenae Nora, senior history major.
After being told by Sister Aloysius that her son may have been sexually abused by Father Flynn, she gets angry with Sister Aloysius for making it an issue.
Mrs. Muller admits the boy is gay and abused at home and she wants to get him through school without any trouble.
“I had to realize that this is 1964 and I am a black woman,” Nora said. “She has spent 30 years being pushed aside, and no one has looked out for her. I think she cares about the boy more than anybody.”
Issues in America relate directly to the play as it confronts sexuality, gender, race, church leadership and ethics of innocence. Riggs’ most memorable discussion came from the night Justin Phillips, acting director of community and racial relations, told the history of Emmett Till.
“He talked about how [Emmett Till] was beaten to death after whistling at a white woman,” Riggs said. “His ultimate sin wasn’t the whistling, it was the making himself visible. I think [Phillip’s] discussion made people relate more with Mrs. Muller.”
Many took the different worldviews of each character and tried to figure out the best view between all the extremes.
“I do not know if the message of the play is to find a happy medium,” Riggs said. “It is separate beliefs and each has his doubts. The question is, do the doubts unite people or do they rip us apart?”
Muller, the boy’s mother played by Glenae Nora, senior history major. After being told by Sister Aloysius that her son may have been sexually abused by Father Flynn, she gets angry with Sister Aloysius for making it an issue.
Mrs. Muller admits the boy is gay and abused at home and she wants to get him through school without any trouble.
“I had to realize that this is 1964 and I am a black woman,” Nora said. “She has spent 30 years being pushed aside and no one has looked out for her. I think she cares about the boy more than anybody.”
Issues in America relate directly to the play as it confronts sexuality, gender, race, church leadership and ethics of innocence.
Riggs’ most memorable discussion came from the night Justin Phillips, acting director of community and racial relations, told the history of Emmett Till.
“He talked about how [Emmett Till] was beaten to death after whistling at a white woman,” Riggs said. “His ultimate sin wasn’t the whistling, it was the making himself visible. I think [Phillip’s] discussion made people relate more with Mrs.Muller.”
Many took the different worldviews of each character and tried to figure out the best view between all the extremes.
“I do not know if the message of the play is to find a happy medium,” Riggs said. “It is separate beliefs and each has his doubts. The question is, do the doubts unite people or do they rip us apart?”
