Oak Parker Tracy-Elizabeth Clay debuted last night (Dec. 8) in the stage play Doubt at Triton College. The show runs from Dec. 2 through Dec. 11.

The Pulitzer Prize winning play was made into a 2008 film starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Clay takes on the role of Mrs. Muller, the mother of the Catholic School student central to the play. The role earned Viola Davis an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 2009. Davis is also one of Clay's favorite actors. Clay read the play years ago but did not watch the movie because she didn't want it to influence her performance. Doubt is the first professional gig for Clay, who spoke with the Journal this week. She said she's acted since grade school and also did shows while a student at Oak Park and River Forest High School. But she ended up pursuing the law as a career, though she has continued studying acting. Clay, a Washington D.C. native, is currently general counsel for Teach For America. She moved to Oak Park with her family when she was 12 years old.

The Triton play is part of a program at the River Grove college that allows citizens to audition for and perform in stage productions at the school. It was an acting teacher at the school who told Clay about Doubt. Clay auditioned and one the role.

Look for more about Clay and play in next week's paper.