The Blaine High School Theater Arts Program will hold opening night for its rendition of “The Importance of Being Earnest” at 7 p.m. Friday, November 8.
The play, based on the 1895 production by legendary British playwright Oscar Wilde, is a classic farcical comedy depicting the affairs of two young bachelors leading double lives – both going by the ironically assumed names of Ernest.
Riley Osburn and Walker Hennig will play the dual leads, with a cast of both first-timers and veteran drama students supporting them, BHS drama teacher Olivia Theilemann said.
Theilemann, who is directing the play, said after last year’s performances of the deadly serious “The Crucible” in the fall and the massive, musical production of “Mamma Mia!” in the spring, she wanted to have something light and fun for her actors and crew to work with this year.
She also said she hopes moving the play into the smaller venue of the Black Box Theater will make it a more meaningful show for both the actors and the audience.
“I’d much rather have a nice, full, intimate space than have an echoey, emptier space,” Theilemann said. “It’s a great experience for the actors to be able to feel the energy of people so close to them. When you have audiences laughing, then that enhances the performance.”
Casting for the show began during the end of the last school year in June, allowing principal actors more time to learn lines. Theilemann purposefully did not abridge nor modernize the script from when it was written more than a century ago.
“It’s cool for them to be able to play with the elevated language, but it’s also very satirical,” Theilemann said. “It’s been a cool acting challenge for them, especially because I think they only started to get the humor recently. As soon as the humor clicks, the satire clicks, then it’s full steam ahead.”
First rehearsals began on September 16, and dress rehearsals began just the past few weeks, Theilemann said.
“What’s pretty exciting is that we have kids that have done every show with me since I’ve been here, and then we have kids that are kind of just now stepping into it,” Theilemann said.
Theilemann said she’s happy to provide an artistic escape for the public, and to show off Blaine’s premiere young thespians.
“It’s getting dark at four o’clock, there’s lots of stuff going on,” Theilemann said. “Come out on your weekend and come see a play and have a good time.”
The play will also be held on November 9, 15 and 16 at 7 p.m., and feature Sunday matinees on November 10 and 17 at 2 p.m.
