Reviews of Pcpa Production of the Importance of Being Earnest

January 27 – March four, 2018
(Opening night: Thursday, February i)

Donald and Darlene Shiley Phase
Old World Theatre
Conrad Prebys Theatre Center

By Oscar Wilde
Directed by Maria Aitken

Oscar Wilde's wildly entertaining comedy sparkles with dazzling wordplay and hilariously unlikely situations. This "trivial comedy for serious people" features ii carefree bachelors, Jack and Algernon, each with a advisedly subconscious double life. But when Algernon discovers that Jack has been posing every bit a human being named Ernest to escape to the city, he promptly travels to Jack's state estate to pose equally the fictional effigy himself! Silliness ensues with whimsical ingénues, jealous fiancées, indomitable dowagers, and the most famous handbag in theatre history. The Earth's lavish production of this timeless classic offers the unmissable opportunity to encounter what the London Telegraph calls "the most perfect comedy in the English language."

Video: Barry Edelstein talks about Oscar Wilde'south classic.

Production Sponsors
Nikki and Ben Dirt
Ann Davies
Brian and Silvija Devine
Jean and Gary Shekhter
Darlene Marcos Shiley
United
The Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Managing director Fund

This production is supported in part by the Jean and Gary Shekhter Fund for Archetype Theatre.

Printing Release                               Program

Oscar Wilde (Playwright, 1854–1900) was built-in in Dublin, Ireland, and attended University of Oxford, where he proved to be a brilliant scholar, winning the Newdigate Prize for his poem "Ravenna." His first drove, Poems, was published in 1881. His merely novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, was published in 1890 and was widely condemned past Victorian critics for its "immoral" content, but it remains i of his most acclaimed works. In the subsequent years, Mr. Wilde had enormous success on stage with his comedies Lady Windermere'southward Fan (1892), A Adult female of No Importance (1893), An Ideal Husband (1895), and The Importance of Existence Hostage (1895). His play Salome (1893), written in French, was refused a license in London but, xiii years later, was adjusted by Richard Strauss into a successful opera. The Marquess of Queensberry strongly disapproved of the playwright, and a quarrel ensued that eventually led to Mr. Wilde'south imprisonment for homosexuality. He was sentenced to two years hard labor and was released in 1897. He moved to France nether the proper noun Sebastian Melmoth and, while in that location, wrote his famous poem "The Ballad of Reading Gaol." He died in exile in 1900.

Maria Aitken (Director) only directed August Strindberg's Creditors at American Players Theatre. Her previous credits include Tartuffe and Heartbreak House (Resident Ensemble Players), The Cocktail Hour (Guthrie Theater), Chamber Farce, Private Lives, Educating Rita, The Cocktail Hour, and The Seagull (Huntington Theatre Visitor), Man and Boy (Broadway, Westward End, tour), The Gift (Melbourne Theatre Company, Geffen Playhouse), Individual Lives and Every bit You Similar It (Shakespeare Theatre Company, Regent's Park Open up Air Theatre), Quartermaine'south Terms (Williamstown Theatre Festival), The 39 Steps (Broadway, Tony Honour nomination for Best Management of a Play, Olivier Award-winning nine-year West Stop product, Helpmann Laurels), Japes (Bay Street Theater), The Mystery of Irma Vep and Happy Family (West End), After the Ball Was Over (The Old Vic), and The Rivals (Court Theatre). Ms. Aitken has taught courses in high one-act at the British American Drama Academy, The Juilliard School, Yale Schoolhouse of Drama, New York University'southward Tisch Schoolhouse of the Arts, The Actors Centre, Academy for Classical Acting, and Royal National Theatre Studio. As leading actress, she has appeared in the West Finish productions of Blithe Spirit and Bedroom Farce (National Theatre), Travesties and Waste matter (Olivier Accolade nomination for All-time Extra), The Happiest Days of Your Life (Royal Shakespeare Company), Humble Male child, Sylvia, Other People's Money, The Vortex, The Women, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for Y'all, Design for Living, Private Lives (Olivier Accolade nomination for Actress of the Year in a Revival), and A Lilliputian Dark Music. She too appeared in the film A Fish Called Wanda (BAFTA nomination for All-time Actress in a Supporting Function). Ms. Aitken is the author of A Girdle Round the Earth and Style: Acting in High One-act. She received a Master of Arts from Academy of Oxford in English Linguistic communication and Literature, and she is a Trustee of the Noel Coward Foundation.

Hugh Landwehr (Scenic Design) has designed scenery throughout the U.s.a.. His work on Broadway has included productions of Frozen, Bus Stop, All My Sons, and A View from the Bridge. Off Broadway, he has designed Last Easter, Scattergood, Filumena, and The Baby Dance, amidst others. He has worked at many regional theatres, including Alley Theatre in Houston, Baltimore Heart Stage, Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, Guthrie Theater, Seattle Repertory Theatre, and many others. He has designed at Williamstown Theatre Festival, Berkshire Theatre Festival, and the Westport Country Playhouse. He is shortly a kinesthesia fellow member of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, and has taught at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of North Carolina Schoolhouse of the Arts, and Williams College. He is proud to have twice been the recipient of NEA grants as an Associate Creative person, to accept won the Mary L. Tater Award in Blueprint (administered by Long Wharf Theatre), and to be the 2003 winner of the Helen Hayes Honor for Outstanding Set Design. He was educated at Yale College.

Fabio Toblini (Costume Pattern) previously designed The Old Globe's Kiss Me, Kate. His recent credits include A Flea in Her Ear (American Players Theatre), Tartuffe (Resident Ensemble Players), The Comedy of Errors (Hartford Stage), Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Baltimore Center Phase), Pip's Island (Skylight Modern), and Afterplay (Irish Repertory Theatre). Mr. Toblini'due south has designed regional productions at Guthrie Theater, Alley Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Children's Theatre Company, Ford's Theatre, and Studio Theatre. His opera credits include Santa Fe Opera, Wexford Festival Opera in Ireland, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Nationale Reisopera in kingdom of the netherlands, Landestheater in Austria, Gotham Chamber Opera, and Portland Opera. He designed the Broadway production of Romeo and Juliet and the original Off Broadway productions of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Bat Boy: The Musical, and The Divine Sis. Mr. Toblini has received a 2015 Craig Noel Honour nomination, 2015 Connecticut Critics Circle Laurels nomination, 2012 Connecticut Critics Circle Award,2008Irene Sharaff Young Primary Accolade, and 2001 Lucille Lortel Honor nomination. fabiotoblini.com.

Philip S. Rosenberg (Lighting Design) has designed the Broadway productions of The Elephant Man, A Gentleman's Guide to Dear and Murder,and It'due south Only a Play. His Off Broadway credits include The Ruins of Civilisation, The Explorer's Club,and Cactus Blossom. His regional credits include productions with The Old Earth, The Kennedy Center, La Jolla Playhouse, Ford'due south Theatre, Guthrie Theater, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Hartford Stage, Huntington Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Dallas Theater Middle, Denver Center for the Performing Arts Theatre Company, Alley Theatre, Arena Stage, McCarter Theatre Center, Manhattan School of Music, Portland Stage, The Actors Visitor Theatre, Barrington Stage Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Dorset Theatre Festival, Bay Street Theater, Goodspeed Musicals, 2 River Theater, George Street Playhouse, and Westport Country Playhouse.

Fitz Patton (Sound Design) previously sound designed the Globe productions of Ken Ludwig'southward Robin Hood!, Constellations, The Wintertime's Tale, Practiced People, and August: Osage Canton and provided original music for Robin Hood! and The Two Gentlemen of Verona. He is currently represented on Broadway with Meteor Shower and Iii Tall Women. His other Broadway credits include Present Laughter, The Little Foxes, The Father, The Humans (Drama Desk Accolade), Blackbird, Information technology'due south Merely a Play, An Human activity of God (Drama Desk nomination), Airline Highway, The Other Place, I'll Swallow You Concluding: A Chat with Sue Mengers, Outside Mullingar, Casa Valentina, The House of Bluish Leaves, Brighton Beach Memoirs, and Broadway Leap. Mr. Patton's many Off Broadway credits include the recent productions of The Other Place (Lucille Lortel Laurels nomination) and Yen (MCC Theater) and When the Rain Stops Falling (Lincoln Heart Theater, Lortel and Drama Desk Awards). His symphony credits include The Holy Land. Mr. Patton is the founder of Risk Magazine, a theatre design magazine.

David Huber (Vocalization and Dialect Autobus) has worked on the Globe productions of Village, Ken Ludwig'south Robin Hood!, The Imaginary Invalid, Skeleton Crew, Red Velvet, The Blameless, Picasso at the Lapin Active, Oct Heaven, Shooting star Shower, Sense and Sensibility, Macbeth, tokyo fish story, Camp David, Constellations, Rain, and Vivid Star, among many others. His previous Globe interim credits include The Wintertime'south Tale, The Tempest, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, and The Merchant of Venice, among several others. He is a graduate of the Graduate Vocalisation Teacher Diploma Program at York University in Toronto. His regional theatre credits include Actors Theatre of Louisville, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Pittsburgh Playhouse, PCPA Theaterfest, Texas Shakespeare Festival, Center REPertory Visitor, and Centennial Theater Festival, among many others. Mr. Huber coaches voice, speech, and acting privately and at several local colleges, and he likewise works with special-needs clients. He is a graduate of The Quondam Earth and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Programme.

Caparelliotis Casting (Casting) has cast the World productions of Uncle Vanya, Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Ken Ludwig'southward Robin Hood!, Skeleton Crew, Red Velvet, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, The Blameless, Meteor Shower, tokyo fish story, Constellations, The Last Match, Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, Rich Girl, Arms and the Man, Heir-apparent & Cellar, The White Snake, The Twenty-seventh Man, The Royale, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Fasten, Water by the Spoonful, Time and the Conways, Bethany, The Wintertime'southward Tale, The Few, Double Indemnity, The Rainmaker, Other Desert Cities, Be a Good Fiddling Widow, A Doll'south House, The Brothers Size, Pygmalion, and Adept People. Their Broadway casting credits include Junk, Meteor Shower, A Doll's House Part ii, The Forepart Page, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, The Glass Menagerie, Jitney, The Lilliputian Foxes, The Father, Blackbird, An Human activity of God, Airline Highway, Fish in the Night, Information technology'south Only a Play, Disgraced, Holler If Ya Hear Me, Casa Valentina, The Snow Geese, Orphans, The Trip to Bountiful, Grace, Dead Accounts, The Other Place, Seminar, The Columnist, Stick Fly, Skilful People, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, The House of Blue Leaves, Fences, Lend Me a Tenor, and The Imperial Family. They likewise cast for Manhattan Theatre Society, Atlantic Theater Company, Signature Theatre Company, LCT3, Ars Nova, Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, McCarter Theatre Centre, and Arena Stage, among others. Their pic and boob tube credits include HairBrained with Brendan Fraser, "American Odyssey" (NBC), "How to Go Abroad with Murder" (ABC pilot), "Ironside" (NBC), and Steel Magnolias (Sony for Lifetime).

Anjee Nero (Production Phase Manager) has previously worked on The Old Earth'southward productions of Benny & Joon; Rex Richard II; Picasso at the Lapin Agile; October Sky; Kiss Me, Kate; The Twenty-seventh Human being; Vivid Star; Canis familiaris and Pony; The Winter's Tale; Be a Practiced Footling Widow; Allegiance; A Room with a View; Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Testify; The Savannah Disputation;and Kingdom. Ms. Nero also worked on the Broadway product of Bright Star and nearly recently launched the first national bout. Her selected La Jolla Playhouse credits include Sideways directed by Des McAnuff, Ruined directed past Liesl Tommy, A Midsummer Dark'south Dream directed by Christopher Ashley, and Herringbone directed past Roger Rees and starring BD Wong. Ms. Nero has worked with several prominent regional theatres including The Kennedy Center, Heart Theatre Grouping (Ahmanson and Kirk Douglas Theatres), Hartford Stage, SITI Company, Huntington Theatre Company, and Berkeley Repertory Theatre to proper name a few, in improver to having toured nationally and internationally with diverse organizations.

Barry Edelstein, Erna Finci Viterbi Creative Manager of The Old Globe, on the Globe's production of The Importance of Being Earnest, playing Jan 27 – March 4, 2018.

(from left) Christian Conn as Algernon Moncrieff and Matt Schwader every bit John Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, directed past Maria Aitken, running January 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Old Earth. Photo by Jim Cox.

Helen Carey as Lady Bracknelll and Christian Conn as Algernon Moncrieff in The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, running January 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Old Globe. Photo by Jim Cox.

Kate Abbruzzese every bit The Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax and Matt Schwader every bit John Worthing in The Importance of Existence Earnest, past Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, running January 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Old Globe. Photo by Jim Cox.

Christian Conn equally Algernon Moncrieff and Helen Cespedes equally Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Beingness Hostage, by Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, running January 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Old World. Photo by Jim Cox.

(from left) Helen Cespedes as Cecily Cardew and Kate Abbruzzese as The Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax in The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, running January 27 – March four, 2018 at The Old World. Photo past Jim Cox.

(from left) Helen Cespedes as Cecily Cardew, Daniel Harray as Moulton, Sam Avishay as Merriman, and Kate Abbruzzese equally The Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax in The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, directed past Maria Aitken, running January 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Erstwhile Earth. Photo past Jim Cox.

(from left) Matt Schwader as John Worthing, Kate Abbruzzese as The Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax, Helen Carey as Lady Bracknell, Christian Conn as Algernon Moncrieff and Helen Cespedes as Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Being Hostage, past Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, running January 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Onetime Globe. Photo past Jim Cox.

(from left) Matt Schwader equally John Worthing, Kate Abbruzzese as The Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax, Helen Carey as Lady Bracknell, Christian Conn every bit Algernon Moncrieff and Helen Cespedes as Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Beingness Hostage, by Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, running January 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Sometime Globe. Photograph by Jim Cox.

(from left) Jane Ridley equally Miss Prism, Rodney Gardiner as The Rev. Canon Chasuble, Matt Schwader as John Worthing, and Kate Abbruzzese as The Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax in The Importance of Being Earnest, past Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, running January 27 – March iv, 2018 at The Former Globe. Photo by Jim Cox.

(from left) Jane Ridley every bit Miss Prism and Rodney Gardiner every bit The Rev. Canon Chasuble in The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, running January 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Sometime World. Photograph by Jim Cox.

Matt Schwader as John Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest, past Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, running January 27 – March four, 2018 at The Old Globe. Photograph past Jim Cox.

Christian Conn as Algernon Moncrieff in The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, running January 27 – March iv, 2018 at The Quondam Globe. Photograph past Jim Cox.

Kate Abbruzzese as The Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax in The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, directed past Maria Aitken, running Jan 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Old World. Photo by Jim Cox.

Helen Carey every bit Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Hostage, by Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, running January 27 – March four, 2018 at The Erstwhile Globe. Photo by Jim Cox.

Helen Cespedes as Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, running January 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Erstwhile Globe. Photo past Jim Cox.

Helen Cespedes appears as Cecily Cardew and Christian Conn as Algernon Moncrieff in The Importance of Being Hostage, by Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, runs January 27 – March four, 2018 at The Old Globe. Photo by Jim Cox.

Kate Abbruzzese appears as The Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax and Matt Schwader as John Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest, past Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, runs Jan 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Former Globe. Photo by Jim Cox.

(from left) Kate Abbruzzese appears every bit The Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax, Matt Schwader as John Worthing, Helen Carey as Lady Bracknell, Christian Conn as Algernon Moncrieff, and Helen Cespedes as Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Beingness Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, runs Jan 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Old Globe. Photograph by Jim Cox.

Helen Cespedes appears equally Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Being Hostage, by Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, runs January 27 – March 4, 2018 at The One-time Earth. Photograph by Jim Cox.

Christian Conn appears as Algernon Moncrieff in The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, runs Jan 27 – March four, 2018 at The Erstwhile Earth. Photo by Jim Cox.

Kate Abbruzzese appears as The Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax in The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, runs January 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Old Earth. Photograph by Jim Cox.

Matt Schwader appears equally John Worthing in The Importance of Being Hostage, by Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, runs Jan 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Erstwhile Globe. Photograph by Jim Cox.

Helen Carey appears as Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Beingness Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken, runs January 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Onetime Globe. Photo by Jim Cox.

The cast of The Importance of Beingness Earnest, past Oscar Wilde, directed by Maria Aitken (back row middle), runs January 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Old Earth. Photo by Jim Cox.

Director Maria Aitken. The Importance of Being Hostage, by Oscar Wilde, runs January 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Old Globe. Photo courtesy of The Sometime Globe.

The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, directed past Maria Aitken, runs January 27 – March 4, 2018 at The Sometime World. Artwork courtesy of The Erstwhile World.

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Source: https://www.theoldglobe.org/press-room/2017-2018-season/the-importance-of-being-earnest/

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