'Doubt' coming to Valley Stream church

Opening day is just around the corner for the Gercharel Players, Inc. performance of the Broadway play, “Doubt: A Parable,” which will run this weekend at Lutheran Church of Our Saviour in Valley Stream.

The Long Island traveling theater company has been entertaining audiences with this play since Feb. 12, putting on productions in various places including Suffolk County. Charles Bandler, the company’s founder, executive producer and director, leads the actors in what he calls a “powerful” play. “I saw ‘Doubt’ a number of years ago and I thought it was very well-written,” he said. “I felt in love with it and wanted to direct it.”

“Doubt” is set in the fictional St. Nicholas Church School, a Catholic school in the Bronx, during the fall of 1964. Focusing on four characters — Father Flynn, Sister Aloysius, Sister James and Mrs. Muller — the head nun, Aloysius, comes to suspect Flynn of the sexual abuse of the school’s first African-American student, Donald Muller. Setting off a trail of important events, Aloysius wonders whether Flynn was innocent or guilty of the heinous act, and presents her “doubt” to the audience.

Written by John Patrick Shanley in 2004, the drama sheds light on a moral dilemma of determining the degree of one’s trust in human beings. Bringing that drama to life, Bandler pre-cast some of the company’s regular actors and actresses in the roles of Flynn, Aloysius and James. The part of Mrs. Muller required an open audition in December. “This role was very difficult to cast because there is a shortage of African-American actors on Long Island,” he said, “but we lucked out.”

Tahliah Fuller won the role, joining Camille Giammarino-Bowman and Ann Morrelli as Aloysius, James Carey as Flynn and Jessie Maldonado as James. Bandler said an understudy will be playing Aloysius at the Valley Stream shows. The players all volunteer their time to this project.

Bandler said there was a total of 15 rehearsals for this play, which is not very “prop heavy,” he noted. “It is very simple and we have one set,” Bandler said. “We try to do shows as easy as possible because we travel.” The stage is planned to be set up with an office and garden scenery, Bandler said. And Maldonado usually does costumes for the players, and make-up is up to the individual actor or actress.

Audiences can expect to get their money’s worth, Bandler said. “It is the kind of show that people will be talking about long after they leave the theater,” he said, “which is the sign of a good writer, director and actors. It will put doubt in your mind whether the priest is guilty or not.”

Play Dates

Performances are Friday, Feb 25 and Saturday, Feb. 26 at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 27 at 3 p.m at the Lutheran Church of Our Saviour. Tickets are $15 for general admission, and $10 for students and senior citizens and can be purchased at the door. The church is located at Rockaway and Dubois Avenues. For more information, call (516) 825-5453. Learn more about Gercharel Players at www.gercharelplayers.com.