La Mirada Presents THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST June 26

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in association with Roundabout Theatre Company, L.A. Theatre Works and BY Experience is thrilled to be presenting - direct from Broadway, the Roundabout Theatre Company's Tony Award-nominated production of Oscar Wilde's classic comedy, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, directed by and starring Tony Award Nominated Best Actor Brian Bedford on SUNDAY, JUNE 26 at 2pm at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd. in La Mirada.

This high-definition event brings the best of Broadway to movie audiences, and includes the added bonus of host David Hyde Pierce taking viewers backstage for special behind-the-scenes peek! Mr. Hyde Pierce says: "This delightful production of Earnest shouldn't be missed, and for the people who can't see it on Broadway, Broadway is coming to them."

Alfred Molina and Oscar Wilde expert Michael Hackett (Chair of UCLA's Theatre Department) will discuss the writer and the man in an intermission special.

The Importance of Being Earnest: Live in HD was captured live in high-definition from Roundabout's American Airlines Theatre (227 West 42nd St.) and features the original cast of this new Broadway production.

The Importance of Being Earnest has been nominated for three Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Play, Best Actor (Brian Bedford) and Best Costumes (Desmond Heeley), three Drama Desk Awards including Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Featured Actor (Brian Bedford) and Outstanding Costumes (Desmond Heeley); four Outer Critics Circle Awards including Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Featured Actor (Brian Bedford), Outstanding Set Design (Desmond Heeley) and Outstanding Costume Design (Desmond Heeley) and two Drama League Awards for Distinguished Revival of a Play and Distinguished Performance Award (Brian Bedoford).

The Importance of Being Earnest is a glorious comedy of mistaken identity, which ridicules codes of propriety and etiquette. Dashing men-about-town John Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff pursue fair ladies Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew. Matters are complicated by the imaginary characters invented by both men to cover their on-the-sly activities - not to mention the disapproval of Gwendolen's mother, the formidable Lady Bracknell.

The Importance of Being Earnest: Live in HD cast features the original company of this new Broadway production featuring Dana Ivey as "Miss Prism," Paxton Whitehead as "Rev. Canon Chasuble," Santino Fontana as "Algernon Moncrieff," David Furr as "John Worthing," Tim MacDonald as "Merriman," Paul O'Brien as "Lane," Charlotte Parry as "Cecily Cardew," Sara Topham as "Gwendolen Fairfax" and Amanda Leigh Cobb as "Servant." The design team includes Desmond Heeley (Sets & Costumes), Duane Schuler (Lights) and Drew Levy (Sound).

Elysa Gardner of USA Today says "Roundabout Theatre Company's Broadway production of Wilde's most famous play is delightful! Bedford proves a perfect fit for Earnest's juiciest character". Charles Isherwood of the New York Times says: "The great actor Brian Bedford is brilliant in this funny and effervescent production. It's one of the great performances of the season; to miss it would most definitely look like carelessness." Scott Brown of NY Magazine says Earnest is "Funny as hell!" And Charles Spencer of the London Telegraph exclaims: "Brian Bedford's production is the finest 'Importance' I have ever seen."
The Importance of Being Earnest: Live in HD was filmed and is being distributed to movie theaters and performing arts centers globally by New York-based BY Experience.

Executive Producers for cinema are Julie Borchard-Young and Robert Borchard-Young for BY Experience, Susan A. Loewenberg for L.A. Theatre Works, and Harold Wolpert for Roundabout Theatre Company.

Lead funding for this project is provided by the Sidney E. Frank Foundation.

Due to demand, the critically acclaimed Broadway engagement of The Importance of Being Earnest was extended 17-weeks through Sunday, July 3rd, 2011. The Stratford Shakespeare Festival presented an acclaimed production of The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by and starring Brian Bedford, in 2009.

Single tickets to this extraordinary event are $20 and are available by calling the Box Office at 562-944-9801 or 714-994-6310 or online at www.lamiradatheatre.com.
Student, Senior, Children and Group discounts are available.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue where the 91 and 5 freeways meet. Parking is free.