Oswego To Perform Victorian Classic: “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Oscar Wilde’s career-defining play “The Importance of Being Earnest” is coming to Oswego’s very own Tyler Hall!

Should You Go To The Fall Play?

The fall play is the theater department’s largest production during the semester.  It’s a high production performance with impressive sets, stage work, and acting which is meant to be seen by a large audience.  If you enjoy live performances, dramas, stage plays, and or anything theater then the fall play is a must see.  For casual students, the fall play is a perfect opportunity to spend with friends and/or family.  Since we are currently in the midst of midterms week, the play remains a great distraction to relax your mind and to get outside of your studies, if just for an evening.  So if you’re looking for something fresh and well made to take your mind off something, I highly recommend you get some tickets for one of the four viewing nights with a couple of friends. 

A Drama For The Ages

The story of “The Importance of Being Earnest” revolves around a single man, Jack Worthing, a typical man of nobility in rural England at the height of the Victorian age who has a rather peculiar brother in London named Earnest whom Jack consistently needs to bailout of prison for his debauchery.  Atleast, that’s what Jack tells everyone. In truth he leads a double life, one of high nobility and decency as Jack, and the other as a raging party-goer named Ernest.  A secret so incredible that its reveal would mean the collapse of his whole life.  And it only gets crazier from there…  

It’s Taboo Legacy

Oscar Wilde, a once legendary playwright, had his career-defining moment with the release of “The Importance of Being Earnest” which initially saw widespread success until allegations against his alleged homosexuality, which he secretly was, were made public and brought him to court. He was sentenced to two years hard labor for “gross indecency with men” a ruling that wasn’t overturned until 2017 when the British government pardoned all former convicts convicted under the discriminatory law. Many believed the messages and themes of the play, most notably the secretive double life of the protagonist, reflected the same double life Oscar Wilde had to live during his life as a gay man in Victorian era England. This Taboo Legacy once haunted the former playwright but has now led to him being recognized as a legendary historical figure of the LGBTQ+ community, and his story played out like a classical play, and well after a century later he is finally seeing the redemption he always deserved.

What The Actors Have To Say

Tori Evanchick: “The Humor is Old Timey… The Costumes are of the age… But its the cast which truly brings this show to life”

“It’s fun, lively, and the design of the play is just beautiful”

Evanchick will be playing as Gwendyln in the show.

Book Your Tickets Now!

Reserve Tickets Here—>https://oswego.universitytickets.com/

The Show will be running each night from October 18th till the 22nd in Tyler Hall’s Waterman Theater.