{photoSource}Daily Astorian{/photoSource}

Must religion and science be in a constant battle?

That core question is asked by “Agnes of God,” being staged at the North County Recreation District Performing Arts Center in Nehalem beginning Friday.

The play is directed by George Dzundza, a character actor from television and movies, who retired to the Oregon Coast.

Dzundza has directed several community shows, including a Noel Coward farce for the Coaster Theatre Playhouse in Cannon Beach. More recently, he has put his energy into Rising Tide Productions, a group dedicated to offering provoking drama with a social message.

It opens at 7 p.m. Friday and runs Saturday, Sept. 1, Sept. 2, Sept. 8 and Sept. 9. Matinee shows will run at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 3 and Sept. 10.

Religion and science“Agnes of God” made its stage debut in 1979 and it was filmed in 1985 as a movie starring Anne Bancroft and Jane Fonda. The mystery-drama portrays how a mother superior and a psychiatrist react when a young nun suffers an unexplained trauma.

The Nehalem production features Kenia Goodman as Agnes, the nun. “I come from a background of Catholicism and have had my issues with the religion as well, so I was able to relate to Agnes as just a sweet and innocent child who feels like everything she does is wrong,” Goodman said.

The mother superior is played by Susi Brown, of Astoria.

Brown, a retired drama educator, said she and Dzundza have worked through different approaches to the character of the mother superior. He describes her character as balancing love and understanding while being an archetype spokesperson for her faith.

“There have been so many ways of looking at this particular character, guided of course by George,” said Brown, who savors the learning experience. “He never lets it rest. We work on something, then we go to something else. It’s been deeper than a coal mine.”

Thought-provokingDzundza and Cameron Lira’s rehearsal discussions about the psychiatrist have delved deep, too. “I think this play brings into question what’s really important,” Dzundza said. “Is it science? What happened to the wonder that was part of human existence?”

Lira said the director has helped her shape her role, “with the weight of all psychiatry and science behind me, and that makes me feel strong and powerful,” she said. “It has been an interesting look at the difference between science and religion and how those two things can fight and how they can coexist.”

How do they coexist? “Beautifully.”

There will be an audience talkback session with the director and cast after the Sunday matinee. Dzundza hopes the production will inspire audiences to think deeply and consider various viewpoints. “It provides the kind of thinking and social awareness that we all need,” he said.

“It has to do with the sharing of ideas, and that requires us to respect both sides of the argument and allow us to find something that is a solution to the problem, rather than have one side be victorious over another.”

‘Agnes of God’

A play from Rising Tide Productions, directed by George Dzundza

North County Recreation District Performing Arts Center, 36155 Ninth Street, Nehalem

7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday; additional shows at 7 p.m. Sept. 1, Sept. 2, Sept. 8 and Sept. 9 and 2 p.m. Sept. 3 and Sept. 10

Tickets are $20 at the door

There will be an audience talkback session with the director and cast after the Sunday performance