Producing Agnes of God at Le Chat Noir has given the cast the opportunity to rediscover an important work they thought they were familiar with.

In 2004, Sharon Brooks, Emily Hobbs and Avery Villines presented the controversial drama as a one-act production.

Ms. Villines, who plays a psychiatrist sent to investigate the birth and death of a baby in a convent, said revisiting the material proved to be more of a challenge than anticipated.

"I personally thought it would be a remount," she said with a wry laugh. "But we had done this as a one-act, a 55-minute version. Doing the full-length version has offered real insight into these characters, characters we only thought we had mastered."

A complex and often difficult play, Agnes ponders issues of faith, morality and law. Intentionally ambiguous, it's a piece that never offers easy answers, choosing instead to engender conversation.

"That's the interesting thing," said Emily Hobbs, who plays the naive nun and mother Agnes. "We have discussed this show, as a cast, and each of us have had different takes on certain scenes. It does require real discussion."

Intimacy, between characters and the actor and audience, plays an important role in Agnes of God. Ms. Brooks said that was the reason the cast decided to take another swing at the material in the cozy Le Chat Noir theater.

"As soon as we saw this space, as soon as the three of us came here, we knew we had to do Agnes again. It really is the perfect place for this play."

Reach Steven Uhles at (706) 823-3626 or steven.uhles@augustachronicle.com.