The Importance of Being Earnest
by Playhouse 2000
Aug. 18 - Aug. 19
One of most loved classic comedies of all time, Oscar Wilde's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST is subtitled “a trivial comedy for serious people.” Written in 1895 and set in “the present,” the story of Algernon, Jack, Gwendolen, and Cecily has become one the best loved “period comedies” in the world.
In Wilde’s story, we follow the twists and turns of the unlikely romances of two pairs of young aristocrats, with mistaken identities, alter-egos and the preposterous notion that love can only happen with young men named Ernest. Biting social satire combines with witty word play and outrageous characters to make The Importance of Being Earnest a delight from an earlier age for audiences of all ages.
The Importance of Being Earnest Auditions August 18, 2024 at 2:30 pm and August 19 at 6:30 pm
Performances: October 4-20, 2024
Director Emily Olson will be looking for 4 women and 5 men of varying ages for the roles listed below.
No preparation is required, however reading the script prior to the audition is highly recommended. Scripts are available for check out in the Playhouse 2000 office, or the script can be found online at the following website: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/844/844-h/844-h.htm.
Auditions will consist of readings from the script. Audition sides will be made available here on the website for your convenience about a week before the auditions, but no preparation is necessary. At the audition you may be asked to read for characters other than the one(s) for which you are auditioning, or from additional scenes not provided here.
We are planning to perform the play using the Standard British or Received Pronunciation (RP) dialect. The study and practice of the dialect will be part of the rehearsal process. You are not required to use it at the audition, but you are welcome to do so if you wish.
The ages listed are for the characters, not necessarily the performers portraying them. We welcome and encourage performers of all ages, ethnicities, body types, and genders to audition.
CHARACTERS:
John (Jack) Worthing (Male, age: late 20s-mid 30s) – The play’s protagonist. Jack Worthing is a wealthy young man who leads a double life. He is responsible and serious “Jack” in the country, where he owns an estate and is the sensible guardian to his ward, Cecily Cardew. In London, he assumes the identity of his own fictitious brother named “Ernest,” and leads a more carefree life. Jack is in love with his friend Algernon’s cousin, Gwendolen Fairfax.
Algernon Moncrieff (Male, age: late 20s-early 30s) – The play’s secondary hero. Algernon, often called Algy, is Jack’s charming, idle, dandy bachelor friend who lives in London. He is the nephew of Lady Bracknell, cousin of Gwendolen Fairfax, and best friend of Jack Worthing, whom he has known for years as “Ernest.” Algernon is brilliant, witty, and given to making delightful paradoxical and epigrammatic pronouncements. He also leads a double life, inventing a sick friend named “Bunbury” whom he visits in the country to escape social obligations.
Gwendolen Fairfax (Female, age: early to mid-20s) – Gwendolen Fairfax is the sophisticated, intelligent, and somewhat self-centered cousin of Algernon Moncrieff. She is the object of Jack’s affection, and dreams of marrying a man named Ernest, believing it to be a name that “inspires absolute confidence.” Gwendolen is determined and strong-willed, particularly in matters of love. She is an aristocratic arbiter of high fashion and society, utterly pretentious, and charmingly superficial.
Cecily Cardew (Female, age: early 20s) – Cecily Cardew is Jack Worthing’s ward, a young and imaginative girl who lives in the countryside where she is educated by her governess, Miss Prism. Cecily is innocent and romantic, but smart and strong-willed. She is intrigued by the idea of wickedness. She has created an elaborate fantasy romance and courtship with Jack’s fictitious brother, Ernest.
Lady Bracknell (Female, age: 45-65) – Lady Bracknell, Gwendolen’s mother and Algernon’s aunt, is a domineering and snobbish aristocratic woman with strict views on social class and marriage. She married well, and her primary goal in life is to see her daughter do the same. Like her nephew, Lady Bracknell is given to making hilarious pronouncements, but where Algernon means to be witty, the humor in Lady Bracknell’s speeches is unintentional. She is a comedic figure, embodying the absurdity of social pretensions.
Miss Prism (Female, age: 45-65) – Miss Prism is Cecily Cardew’s governess, a prim and somewhat pedantic woman who harbors romantic feelings for Dr. Chasuble. She is an endless source of dull platitudes and clichés. Puritan though she is, Miss Prism’s severe declarations have a way of going so far over the top that they inspire laughter. Miss Prism represents the Victorian ideal of respectability and propriety, though with a humorous twist as she is revealed to have a rather surprising past.
Reverend Canon Chasuble (Male, age 45-65) – Dr. Chasuble is the local rector to Jack’s country estate who has a shy and awkward romance with Miss Prism. He is a pleasant, earnest and somewhat absent-minded clergyman who provides comic relief in his interactions with other characters. Dr. Chasuble’s sermons are notable for their flexibility, as he has one for every occasion.
Lane and Merriman (Males, age 35-65) – Lane is Algernon’s manservant in London, while Merriman is Jack’s butler in the country. Both characters serve to highlight the social dynamics and the humorous aspects of their masters’ lives. Lane, in particular, is known for his dry wit and subtle observations. Note: Lane only appears in Act I and Merriman only appears in Act II, so it is possible that these roles will be doubled.
