The Importance of Being Earnest

	The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde Directed by: Grant Fitch Email the director


Oscar Wilde's comic masterpiece! The classic and eminently quotable comedy of manners involves double lives and mistaken identities, young love and middle-aged romance, a long-lost brother returned from the dead, and a lost baby found in a handbag in a railway station - all wrapped in nonstop witty banter. "In matters of utmost importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing." "To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose both looks like carelessness." "The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means." "How you can sit there eating muffins when we're in this terrible trouble, I can't make out! It seems to me to be perfectly heartless..." "I can hardly eat muffins in an agitated manner. The butter would probably get on my cuffs." "Thirty-five is a very attractive age. London society is full of women of the very highest birth who have, of their own free choice, remained 35 for years."

Performances:

November 7-8, 14-16, 2008


Auditions:

Date/Time:	September 2 & 3, 2008 7:00 PM
Location:	First United Methodist Church 352 S. Main Street Crown Point, Indiana

Audition Information:

8-9 characters - 4 women, 4-5 men

For more information visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Importance_of_Being_Earnest Read the Play Online! http://www.hoboes.com/html/FireBlade/Wilde/earnest/

Roles:

Algernon Moncrieff - cultured, a gentleman, but poor enough that he likes others to buy dinner; likes the ladies, and is what they used to call a "ne'er-do-well"; always has a witty one-liner at hand. Late 20s or 30s.

John Worthing - a little more of an upstanding citizen; though he has a wild side of his own, he is more than capable of looking down on his friend Algy for his ways. This is probably partly due to the fact that, unlike his friend, he does have responsibilities. Mid- to late 20s or 30s.

Gwendolen Fairfax - a lovely woman with a good head on her shoulders. Her speech is one clever remark after another, as with everyone in this play. She would like to marry Jack Worthing (though she thinks his name is Earnest), if only her mother were not standing in her way. 20s or 30s.

Lady Bracknell - a frightening battle-ax of a society matron, she is extremely proper and disapproving, as well as being quite rich. Very Victorian. Algernon's aunt and Gwendolen's mother, she won't allow a marriage between Gwendolen and Jack. In her 50s or above.

Cecily Cardew - Jack's young ward, who calls him "Uncle Jack." She is in love with his ne'er-do-well brother Earnest, without ever meeting him - so when Algy shows up pretending to be him, she is quite pleased. She is innocent in her way, but quite bright. In her way. She is just 18.

Miss Prism - Cecily's governess and tutor; prim, thin-lipped, generally disapproving. She warms when it comes to Rev. Chasuble, for whom she has a crush. 40s-50s or above.

Rev. Chasuble - the local country vicar. Flusters easily, has a good heart. Could be in his 40s, could be in his 60s.

Lane - Algernon's manservant. Very dry wit, like Alec Guinness in "Arthur." Age flexible, though probably older than Algy, and - despite being "just" a servant - is a good and good-sized part.

Merriman - the butler at Cecily and Jack's place in the country. Another decent-sized part, with potential. Merriman and Lane will probably be doubled by the same actor. Age extremely flexible - possibly play him younger than Lane.