"Doubt" (now playing at Barksdale) is as wonderful as everyone says it is so if you haven't seen it yet you'd better call for tickets which I understand are scarce. The cast is wonderful, the set fabulous(always makes me happy), and even the lighting designer, Lynne Hartman, thought to project the shadow of a stained glass window on the wall next to the priest in the pulpit. All the actors nailed their New York accents and everything. There were only four distractions during the show: 1. the candy unwrapping sound produced by the man seated next to me who thought it was charming that I was taking notes, 2. the occaisonal but continuing high pitch sqeel of someone's hearing aid, 3.a cell phone ringing in the middle of the perfromance, and 4. a prop tea pot that was from the wrong era.

Duke Lafoon has come a long way from his starring role in "Red Badge" (was it 15 years ago? ) which was produced by Yours Truly in Lexington, VA. I think the last role I saw him play was Prince Charming in Theatre IV's "Cinderella". He is marvelous as Father Flynn. His performance affords all the nuance to allow the audience to flip flop between his guilt or innocence- Key I think to the success of the parable.

Speaking of great sets: The Firehouse Theatre Project deserves some credit for its last couple of sets. It has been my experience (and I have whined about it to Artistic Director, Carol Piersol many times) that the quality of their sets have been lacking. But recently the sets have been very good - well designed and weel executed. Nice work guys. You can see the latest great set at Firehouse during the run of "The Late Henry Moss".