Set at a Catholic school in the Bronx, Doubt centers on a nun Cherry Jones who grows suspicious when a priest Brían F. O'Byrne begins taking too much interest in the life of a young male student. Is she being overly protective or not protective enough? And can she work within the system to discover the truth? Heather Goldenhersh and Adriane Lenox also star.
The world premiere, directed by Doug Hughes, opened to rave reviews on November 23. In his Broadway.com Review of the play, Eric Grode wrote: "Shanley, whose work is being mounted by three major off-Broadway houses this fall, has written a gentle whopper of a play, an intricate character study that never stints on plot. He addresses deadly serious topics like faith and moral responsibility with warmth and generosity. He invests a memory play, set in a Bronx Catholic school in 1964, with tremendous relevance but doesn't succumb to anachronism. And he has given Cherry Jones and Brían F. O'Byrne roles worthy of their immense gifts."