The Importance of Being Earnest
by StageCenter Community Theatre
Aug. 03 - Aug. 04
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, first performed in 1895, is a comedy that pokes fun at the conventions and manners of Victorian society. The play follows the lives of two young men, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, who adopt fictional identities to escape social obligations. Jack invents a brother named Ernest, while Algernon creates a friend named Bunbury who lives in the country. The plot unfolds with mistaken identities, and clever wordplay.
Auditions for The Importance of Being Earnest
by Oscar Wilde
directed by Hannah White
August 5 & 6, 2024 at 7 pm
Performances
October 3 - 19 at 7:30 pm
Sunday matinee October 13 at 2pm
Setting: 1890s England
Accents: English accents will be required for all roles. Some coaching will be provided during production, but accents should be used during auditions so that the director can determine skill-level.
CHARACTERS​
Jack | male, late 20s to early 30s | The protagonist who leads a double life, pretending to be "Ernest" in the city and Jack in the country. He is responsible and earnest, often caught in humorous situations due to his dual identity. | Total pages: 41
Algernon | male, late 20s to early 30s | Jack's friend and another main character who invents a fictional friend named "Bunbury" as an excuse to avoid social obligations. He is witty, charming, and plays a key role in unraveling the plot. | Total pages: 41
Gwendolen | female, 20-30 | Jack's sophisticated and determined love interest, who is captivated by the name "Ernest" and has strict ideals about love and marriage. | Total pages: 27
Cecily | female, late teens to early 20s | Jack's ward, a romantic and imaginative young woman who falls in love with Algernon, believing him to be "Ernest." | Total pages: 32
Lady Bracknell | female, 50+ | Gwendolen's domineering mother, a symbol of Victorian societal norms and standards. She is obsessed with class and wealth, making her approval crucial for any marriage. | Total pages: 17
Miss Prism | female, 40+ | Cecily's governess, a well-intentioned but absent-minded character who inadvertently plays a significant role in the plot's developments. She entertains romantic feelings for Dr. Chasuble. | Total pages: 14
Chasuble | male, 50+ | The rector on Jack’s estate. Both Jack and Algernon approach Dr. Chasuble to request that they be christened “Ernest.” Dr. Chasuble entertains secret romantic feelings for Miss Prism. | Total pages: 14
Lane | male, 30+ | Algernon’s manservant. When the play opens, Lane is the only person who knows about Algernon’s practice of “Bunburying.” Lane appears only in Act 1. | Total pages: 8
Merriman | male, 30+ | The butler at the Manor House, Jack’s estate in the country. Merriman appears only in Acts 2 and 3. | Total pages: 9
