THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNESTLY LGBTQ+ Begins Performances July 6

Off-Broadway Producers John Lant and Maarten Cornelis in association with Write Act Repertory and Gatehouse Entertainment today announced the Off-Broadway premiere of The Importance Of Being Earnestly LGBTQ+, a modern day N.Y.C. Vogue telling of the classic duality tale. The production begins previews on Tuesday July 6th at The Actors Temple, 339 West 47th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues).

Tickets are available through December, cost between $49.50 and $79.50, and can be purchased through Telecharge at www.telecharge.com or by calling (212) 239-6200. For more information, please visit actorstempletheatre.com or writeactrep.org

John "Jack" Worthing loves N.Y.C. and Gwyn Fairfax, and he can have both when he assumes the name of his made-up brother, Ernest. When Algernon, "Algy" (John's best friend) falls in love with Cecil (John's ward), he too decides to take on the name of Ernest. With John pursuing one man and Algy pursuing another, Lady Bracknell (who happens to be Gwyn's mother) slowly unravels the odd strings of potential matchmaking. Of course, with two men and one name they share, what follows is a mess of imaginary identities, good-natured gossip, and ridiculous romance. The Importance of Being Earnestly LGBTQ+ brings Oscar Wilde's "trivial comedy for serious people'' to contemporary times with new laughter, color, and heart.

"I'm proud to create a world where coming out is never a thing, allowing our heroes to be unapologetically themselves," says Producer and Director Maarten Cornelis. "We will root for each one of them in our own way as we identify their fallible struggles and triumphs as everyone's allowed to be complete human beings in love."

The cast of THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNESTLY LGBTQ+ features Marie Anello, Clint Blakely, Preston Fox, Lyman Heung, Lauren E King, Ryan Knight, J. Mahal, Matt Merritt, Michael Morley, Carmen Nikae, Samantha Randolph, Denise Turkan, Kenon Veno, and Alison Wien.

The creative team also includes Tamra Pica (Associate Producer, Casting Director), Rebecca Ponticello (Assistant Director), Aurora J. Winger (Production Stage Manager), Maarten Cornelis (Light Designer), Izzie Cava (Associate Light Designer), Amanda Scanze (Costume Designer), Hannah Bernstein (Associate Costume Design), Martina Duque (Set & Graphic Designer), Jennifer Steward (Props Designer), Dan Demello (Public Relations), Lillian Lippold (Assistant Stage Manager), and Juliet Hurwitz (Assistant Props Designer).