Grand Valley State University's Theatre program will open its final production of the current season this month, The Importance of Being Earnest, by British author Oscar Wilde. The play is scheduled for seven performances on the Allendale campus between March 30 and April 9.
The 1894 classic romance, dubbed by its author as a trivial comedy for serious people, revolves around the frenzied antics of two pairs of lovers. Two handsome men-about-town in turn-of-the-century London, Jack and Algernon, seek the hearts of two wealthy young women, Gwendolyn and Cecily.
Although the girls are willing, two obstacles quickly present themselves: Gwendolyn's snooty mother resolutely opposes her daughter's marriage to Jack, and both girls insist that their husbands' names be Earnest. The men happily lie about their real names, but Gwendolyn's mother is another matter. In the play's hilarious final moments, Wilde treats his audiences to three marriages, the improbable reunion of long-lost brothers, and a foundling's absurd discovery of who he really is.
The Importance of Being Earnest, has captivated audiences since it opened in London in 1895, and has become the most frequently performed comedy in the English language. Critics regard the piece as the most brilliant example of the English comedy of manners because of its witty satire of the foibles and fancies of the upper classes. Of course, the piece has also profited immensely by the scandalous reputation of its author, one of the most remarkable literary geniuses of turn-of-the-century Europe.
GVSU's production seeks to capture the whimsical atmosphere of upper class British society that the play satirizes through scenery and costumes.
Playing the leading roles are Tony Nelson, as the madcap Algernon Moncrieff, and Charles Wilkins, as the stuffy Jack Worthing. The urbane and sophisticated Gwendolyn Moncrieff is portrayed by Rebecca Black, and the equally charming Cecily by Sarah Kostishak. Trinity Bird will appear as Lady Bracknell; and the two old lovers, Reverend Chasuble and Laetitia Prism, Cecily's governess, will be played by Matthew T. Allan and Betsy Loomis. Michael Houser and Joshua Messinger will portray the discrete gentlemen-servants Merriman and Lane.
Two matinees are scheduled for The Importance of Being Earnest: at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 30; and 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 9. Evening curtains are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on March 30, 31, April 1, 7, and 8. All performances take place in the Louis Armstrong Theatre, GVSU Performing Arts Center, on the university's Allendale campus.
Ticket prices are $7 general admission, $6 for senior citizens and GVSU alumni, $5 for all college students, and $2 for K-12 students. The play is suitable entertainment for the entire family. Ample free parking is available for all performances. Reservations can be made by calling 895-2300.
