FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2008
OSCAR WILDE COMING TO NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
EUGENE, Ore. - Oscar Wilde's 1895 comedy The Importance of Being Earnest will open at Northwest Christian College (NCC) March 7, 2008 at 8 p.m. The production runs March 7 and 8 at 8 p.m., March 9 at 2 p.m., and March 13-15 at 8 p.m. The play will be performed in the B. Ross Evans Chapel (11th and Kincaid) on the NCC campus.
The witty comedy follows the troublemaking antics of friends Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff. Both gentlemen create alternate identities that enable them to Bunbury amongst Victorian England¹s high society, which eventually gets them into the most dreadful scrapes.Wilde's play satirizes love, friendship, marriage, class, and those who wear the shallow mask of manners with elegant charm.
Director Elizabeth Helman, Ph.D, an adjunct theatre professor at Northwest Christian, chose this play for its comic brilliance and timeless qualities.
"This is such an amazing script to work with because nearly every line has a double or triple meaning. That the play can be enjoyed on many different levels is part of Wilde's genius. Wilde¹s critique of class and the need to keep up appearances is just as relevant today as it was when the play premiered over a century ago."
This is the first play to be produced and performed on the NCC campus in nearly 10 years in an effort to expand program offerings to NCC students. The cast features NCC students Tobyn Bower as Jack Worthing, Chad DeKay as Algernon Moncrieff, Kaitlin Coppins as Cecily Cardew, Stephen Gleffe as Merriman, and NCC Biblical Studies professor Loren Crow as Dr. Chasuble.
Eugene community actors are also featured in this production including Kirina Schwinler as Gwendolyn Fairfax, Connie Hymer as Lady Bracknell, Moriah Shanahan as Miss Prism, and Kellen Terrett as Lane.
The costumes were designed by Maiya Becker and the set was designed by Steen Mitchell. "I wanted to start a tradition with this production of bringing together local actors and designers and NCC students," says Helman. "Theatre needs a supportive and diverse community to thrive and the more creative people we can involve, the better!"
Tickets are available by calling 541-684-7203 during business hours and are $10 for general admission and $5 for students and seniors. Tickets can also be purchased at the door on performance days two hours before show time.
Parking is available in the Morse Event Center parking lot across 11th from the B. Ross Evans Chapel.
For more information about the production, the cast, auditions, the play, and future productions at NCC, visit http://www.myspace.com/thebeaconplayers.
