The Lycoming College Theatre Department will perform “The Importance of Being Earnest” Nov. 20-23 in the Mary Lindsay Welch Theatre. All shows begin at 8 p.m. and this performance is recommended for all audiences.
The play is directed by Mary Ethel Schmidt, a Lycoming graduate and guest artist at the college. After graduating from Lycoming with a bachelor’s degree in theatre, Schmidt received an M.F.A. in playwriting from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers. Since then, she has worked consistently as a professional actor, director, playwright and teacher. She has performed in Lithuania, directed in Sweden, studied in London and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. She also teaches at Marywood University in Scranton.
Since its premiere in 1895, Wilde’s hilarious send-up of England’s Victorian culture and courtship rituals, “The Importance of Being Earnest,” has earned its status as a comic masterpiece. In fact, many critics claim it is the wittiest play in the English language, and its popularity has been proven by hundreds of stage productions and three film versions. The story: Two dashing young bachelors, Jack and Algernon, woo their respective beloveds by pretending their name is Earnest, a magical name that enamors both young ladies. Inevitably, their lies are exposed and despite the wild chaos along the way, a perfectly happy ending inevitably occurs.
The play’s cast features Lycoming seniors Kahla Moon and Hannah Eyler; juniors Sarah E. Beddingfield, Emily Early and Makenzy LeFever; sophomore Michael Sampsell; and freshmen Robert Hoffman and Christopher Moyer.
Dinner and a show will be offered on Friday, Nov. 22, in the college’s Jane Schultz Room, located in the Wertz Student Center. Tickets for dinner and a show are $18 per person and advance reservations are required by calling 570-321-4048. Tickets for just the show are $10 per person and $8 for seniors and students.
Lycoming College is a four-year, residential liberal arts and sciences school dedicated to the undergraduate education of 1,400 students. Its rigorous academic program, vibrant residential community and supportive faculty foster successful student outcomes. Lycoming offers 36 academic majors and is recognized as a Tier 1 institution by U.S. News & World Report. Founded in 1812 and located near the banks of the Susquehanna River in Williamsport, Pa., Lycoming is one of the 50 oldest colleges in the nation. For more information, visit www.lycoming.edu.