The Importance of Being Earnest 1895

Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” premiered on a London stage in 1895 and has since then become the wickedly witty master playwright’s most often produced play (I already know of two forthcoming productions in Massachusetts alone).

Mistaken identities, secret double lives, and a suitor named Earnest is set to take over the stage this August as The Contemporary Theater Company (CTC) is set to present Oscar Wilde's comedy The Importance of Being Earnest.

Richmond Shakespeare will present Oscar Wilde's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST at Richmond Triangle Players' Robert B. Moss Theatre, closing out the company's Shakespeare Fest under the direction of Irene Kuykendall.

BroadwayWorld spoke to Reid about infusing audiences with a renewed love of language, creating immersive, magical spaces, and subverting hierarchies while challenging expectations both on stage and behind the scenes.

Looking to escape from the hot sun? Why not check out one of the many intriguing offerings at greater Boston venues where this summer’s vibrant theater scene boasts pre-Broadway productions, national tours, and summer-stock productions of everything from Shakespeare to classic and contemporary plays, musicals, and concerts. Bay State audiences have much to look forward to, including:

Oak Park Festival Theatre continues its 51st Anniversary season with Oscar Wilde’s smashing comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest. First produced in 1895, the play is memorable from Wilde’s fast wit and the farcical parody of the English upper class. Oak Park’s production of Earnest, directed by newcomer Kathryn Walsh, is a comical performance with high energy.

Political blackmail, institutional corruption, and the frantic urge to incinerate compromising files. Oscar Wilde’s 1895 society drama An Ideal Husband has found a shockingly comfortable home in 2026.

Petra Kalive has made some interesting casting choices.

Soft Brain Theatre Company will present LOVE AND OTHER LIFE SENTENCES, an original Commedia dell'Arte musical by Jake Erickson, at the McGinn/Cazale Theater.

The USC Department of Theatre and Dance will present the classic social satire The Importance of Being Earnest Nov. 7-16 at Longstreet Theatre. Learn more about the production here!

There probably isn’t a theatergoer who hasn’t already seen Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Ernest.

What did our critic think of THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST at Austin Playhouse?

World Stage Theatre Company will open their eighth season with The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. Performances are at 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Directed by Jason Sirois, The Importance of Being Earnest stars Damien Hartzell as Jack, Margaret Stall as Gwendolen, Jasper Hammer as Algernon, Samara Cain-Burrow as Cecily, Jennifer Ann White as Miss Prism, Jarrod Kopp as Rev. Chasuble, Lori Bryant as Lady Bracknell, and Nicholas Edward Bushta as Lane/Merriman.

Don’t miss 2025 Season opener for The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ). Oscar Wilde’s beloved comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest, impeccably directed by the theatre’s Artistic Director Brian Crowe, is onstage through June 1.

The Importance of Being Earnest was Oscar Wilde’s last and most famous play, a brilliant farce that satirizes Victorian society. It premiered on February 14, 1895, at the St. James Theatre in London.

VALENTINE'S PRE-GAME WITH SMALL BOAT is a two-show series presented by Small Boat Productions LLC ahead of the February celebration of love. Learn more here!

The Antaeus Theatre Company pulls off another triumph with the enchanting and handsomely mounted Oscar Wilde classic.

Stage West will present THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, a classic comedy by Oscar Wilde, showcasing witty dialogue and satirical humor.

From now through Saturday, May 25, Murry’s Dinner Playhouse, 6323 Col Glenn Rd, in Little Rock, is presenting the Oscar Wilde classic THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST. First performed in 1895, Director Roger Eaves captures the play’s purpose of satirizing the social norms and conventions of Victorian society, while embracing his cast’s cuteness factor. You will leave with a full belly and conversation for the way home. Seats are still available, so grab your tickets at murrysdp.com. 

I love going to see a Trent Reese production, because he always puts a refreshing spin on whatever the subject matter may be. For our viewing pleasure this time, The Lantern Theatre and the Maumelle Players teamed up to present THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST by Oscar Wilde the last two weekends in April at The Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church in Maumelle.

Discover Pioneer Players, a new nonprofit theater company in Sacramento, launching with Oscar Wilde's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST.

Steve Carell is headed to Broadway! The actor, best known for starring in the television series The Office, will make his Broadway debut in Lincoln Center Theater's upcoming production of Anton Chekhov’s classic UNCLE VANYA. Find out more information about the production here!

Jackie Maxwell directs this stylish adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s 1895 comedy.

What did our critic think of THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST at The Guthrie Theater?