Oscar Wilde's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST to Bring High Societal Hijinks to Theater at Monmouth

Monmouth, Maine - Theater at Monmouth continues their Brave New Worlds Season with Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. Billed by Oscar Wilde himself as "A trivial comedy for serious people", The Importance of Being Earnest is the hilarious story of Jack and Algernon, who have chosen to lead double lives to evade the tedium of polite society. However, when they attempt to win the love of two women who declare they will only love a man called Ernest - chaos reigns. The Importance of Being Earnest is a tale of mistaken identities, rapid-fire wit, and cucumber sandwiches. There may not be a funnier, more socially insightful play chock-full of eccentric characters than this masterpiece by Oscar Wilde. Indulge in the hilarity Thursday, July 20th at 7:30 p.m. through Friday, August 11th including matinee and evening performances both weekdays and weekends.

At the center of The Importance of Being Earnest there is simply humor and nothing else. Director Nathan Winkelstein leans into the simplicity of humor with this production and says "Anyone who searches for hidden depths or truths in this play is bound to either come up empty or become a victim of their own confirmation bias as they stalk the wild goose with the red herring in its beak". Winkelstein goes on to applaud the playwright's choice to focus on humor by saying "Unlike so many other plays, Oscar Wilde doesn't try to make this play anything but funny. This is an artist screaming to the skies that laughter is an essential ingredient to a life well lived, and that bringing joy to one's fellow man is worthy".

The Importance of Being Earnest features A.J. Baldwin* as Gwendolen, Christopher Blonski* as Reverend Chasuble, Robbie Harrison as Merriman, Rebecca Ho* as Cecily, Tracie Lane* as Lady Bracknell, Zack Lopez Roa* as Algernon, Christopher Joel Onken* as Jack, Michael Wood* as Lane, and Jaine Ye* as Miss Prism. Directed by Nathan Winkelstein, Set Design by Germán Cárdenas Alaminos, Costume Design by Elizabeth Rocha, Lighting Design by Danie Taylor, and Sound Design by Scott O'Brien, with Stage Management by Mandy Spartz*, Assistant Stage Management Cameron Sarchi, and Props Supervision by Madelaine Foster.

Performance Calendar: PREVIEW 7/20 at 7:30 p.m.; OPENING 7/21 at 7:30 p.m.; additional performance dates 7/29, 8/4, and 8/9 at 7:30 PM; 7/29, 8/5, and 8/11 at 1:00 PM.

The Importance of Being Earnest is Sponsored by George & Elaine Keyes.

Audience Engagement Programs

Post-Performance Discussions. Join us on selected weekend evening performances for Post-Performance Discussions with the cast and creative team. Discuss the critical historical, artistic, and cultural perspectives of the worlds of each individual play. Post-Performance Discussion will take place on the following date: Saturday, July 15 following the performance of The Story of My Life, Saturday, July 22 following the performance of Richard II, Sunday, July 30 following the performance of As You Like It, Saturday, August 5 following the performance of An Iliad, and Saturday, July 29 following the evening performance of The Importance of Being Earnest.

Tickets, Subscriptions, and Ways to Save. A TAM subscription offers savings and exclusive benefits like priority seating and ticket exchanges. Gold, Flex, General, or Senior Passes are available for purchase, so whether you want a ticket for each show or five tickets to one show, there's an option for you. Single tickets for the Summer Repertory and Fall Show are $40 for adults, $35 for senior citizens, and $25 for students (18 and under).

Opening Nights are Educator Nights. Educators receive 20% off the general ticket price with a valid photo ID at the Box Office.

Under 30 Rush Tickets. For patrons under 30, $10 Rush Tickets are available for up to 20 audience members at each performance in the season excluding the Family Show and Special Events. Contact the Box Office by email boxoffice@theateratmonmouth.org or by calling 207.933.9999 after 10 a.m. on the day of the show. Requests made before the Box Office is open will not be processed.

For calendar and reservations, please contact the TAM Box Office at 207.933.9999 or visit www.theateratmonmouth.org.

Theater at Monmouth, founded in 1970, was named the Shakespearean Theater of Maine by the State Legislature in 1975. The theatre's mission is to present innovative approaches to Shakespeare and other classic plays through professional productions that enrich the lives of people throughout Maine. Since its founding, TAM has produced expertly crafted, engaging productions in its three-month Summer Repertory Season entertaining audiences from 36 states and through Education Tours annually reaching more than 15,000 students statewide.

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