By Erin Hawkins
Olympic Peninsula News Group
SEQUIM — A young cast of characters, a man in a dress and a plot full of witty twists and turns will take center stage at Olympic Theatre Arts today at the premiere of “The Importance of Being Earnest.”
One of Oscar Wilde’s most popular plays, “The Importance of Being Earnest” is a comedy of manners giving tribute to Wilde’s unique perspective on London’s Victorian society in 1895.
Shows run at 7:30 p.m. today, Feb. 3 and 10; Saturdays, Jan. 28, Feb. 4 and 11; and at 2 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 29, Feb. 5 and 12 at Olympic Theatre Arts, 414 N. Sequim Ave.
Tickets are $16 for adults and $10 for students at the online box office, online at olympictheatrearts.org and at the door.
Director Anna Andersen said “The Importance of Being Earnest” has been one of her favorite plays since she first saw it in high school. She’s been directing plays for 16 years, mostly in Los Angeles and the Bay Area in California, and moved to Sequim three years ago to take care of her parents.
Andersen believes Wilde is an author almost comparable to Shakespeare and that this play portrays his unique perspective and wit.
“It’s a high-speed, joyous sort of romp with everything taking an unexpected turn as you go,” Andersen said.
She explained that the script follows that of the original play and has kept the tradition of casting the role of Lady Bracknell — the arbiter of high society rules — as a man.
“The humor that they individually as actors have and can apply to this is remarkable; it’s really fun to watch,” she said.
“The Importance of Being Earnest” is a full two-hour performance featuring three acts.
The play features Emma Easton as Cecily Cardew, Liz Duval as Gwendolen Fairfax, Josh Sutcliffe as Lady Bracknell, Randy Powell as Jack Worthing, Benjamin Komar as Algernon Moncrieff, Merv Wingard as Dr. Chasuble, Susan Dwyer as Miss Prism and assistant director, Steve Berry as Merriman Lane and assistant stage manager, and Taylor Sebring as stage manager.
This is only the second play that Powell and Komar have acted in.
Powell said his favorite part of playing Jack is that his character is so serious in trying to adopt the high-born attitude of his society despite being found in a handbag as a baby.
“He’s always trying to be a good boy, trying to impress everyone, and that’s really annoying to be around in real life, but it’s fun to do,” Powell said.
Playing the opposite of a serious role, Komar believes Algernon’s character represents modern humor that the audience will appreciate.
“He’s absurd and he doesn’t care about anything in a way that I think is very modern,” Komar said.
“People might come with a preconceived notion that it’s going to look like some old-fashioned, genteel thing, when in fact it feels very modern and current,” he said.
For more information about “The Importance of Being Earnest,” go to olympictheatrearts.org.
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Erin Hawkins is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach her at ehawkins@sequimgazette.com.
