Penn State to Offer Live Webcast of THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

Penn State's School of Theatre and College of Communication students have collaborated to broadcast and promote a live webcast of The Importance of Being Earnest on Friday, April 22nd at 7:30 P.M. EST.

Considered to be Wilde's most brilliant tour de force, The Importance of Being Earnest is celebrated not only for the lighthearted ingenuity of its plot, but for its inspired dialogue and artful conversation. Directed by Penn State School of Theatre's Associate Professor Richard Robichaux, the Center Stage production will feature an exciting cast comprised of current School of Theatre students, former faculty and an actor's guild member, Jane Ridley, as Lady Bracknell.

"More than a century after its premiere, I thought this was a great play to re-visit with a fresh, new direction here at Penn State. And the idea that a high school student in Philadelphia or a drama teacher in Seattle can share in the excitement of this fresh, new production by viewing the webcast is precisely the kind of 21st century programming we are creating at Penn State's School of Theatre. I hope people stand up and applaud at the end, even if they're on their couch!" said Robichaux.

The collaboration between the communication students who are producing the webcast and the public relations students who are promoting it, has given the students real life experience in managing a client and delivering a professional packaged webcast. The theatre students involved are excited to see their production extend off the stage and onto the internet, providing their work a broader reach and allowing friends and family who are not able to make the live production a chance to see it.

To follow the webcast online, visit the Facebook event page for "A Wilde Night of Webcasting" at http://bit.ly/1UXfoLx and tune in to the webcast on Friday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. EST at http://www.wpsu.org/event/.