Portal Players Dramatic Society is pleased to present Oscar Wilde’s "The Importance of Being Earnest". This classic comedy opens Thursday, May 5th at the Capitol Theatre and runs select dates till Sunday May 22nd, when it will open the North Island Zone Drama Festival.

“The Importance of Being Earnest”, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People was first performed on February 14, 1895 at St. James' Theatre in London. It is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious personae in order to escape burdensome obligations. Working within the social conventions of late Victorian London, the play's major themes are the triviality with which it treats institutions as serious as marriage, and the resulting satire of Victorian ways. Contemporary reviews all praised the play's humour, though some were cautious about its explicit lack of social messages, while others foresaw the modern consensus that it was the culmination of Wilde's artistic career so far. Its high farce and witty dialogue have helped make The Importance of Being Earnest Wilde's most enduringly popular play.

Two special nights will help kick off this great production. First, Friday May 6th will be a “Ladies Night Out”, sponsored by Walk the Coast Footwear and Apparel, Urban Design Hair Studio and Van Isle Ford. This evening will include a Fashion Show, Silent Auction, and a chance for one lucky patron to experience a night of spa pampering and a complete make over to be revealed after the show. There is no up charge for this great evening, but entries for the makeover are $5 each.

Secondly, on Sunday, May 8th, (the only matinee performance for Earnest), we are offering a "Pay What You Can" Event. This means that all door sales that day are by donation and 50% of the proceeds go to Relay for Life by way of Portal Players Relay Team "The Capitol Thespians".

Tickets for "The Importance of Being Earnest" are on sale now at the Capitol Box Office, Tues - Fri 1:00 pm till 5:30 pm. Tickets are $15 for Adults, $13 for Senior and Students. The show runs May 5-8, 12-14, 19-21. Curtain rises at 7:30 for all performance except the Sunday May 8th show, which starts at 2 pm.

Tags: Comedy, Drama