The JSU Department of Theatre and Film is performing Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, which opens this weekend!

Written in 1895, The Importance of Being Earnest is one of the most famous comedies that, according to Director Carolyn Conover, provides “a sharp, hilarious, biting commentary on the hypocrisies and superficiality of the Victorian aristocracy, as well as a fun and ridiculous story about love, identity, and cucumber sandwiches.”

Conover, Assistant Professor of Acting and Directing, explained that she has been able to use the dated piece to teach her students a variety of new skills that will help them throughout their acting careers. For example, the humor in The Importance of Being Earnest is “a brand of comedy that comes from witty, sometimes complicated, language and very smart jokes,” so “[they] have had to take the extra time to really analyze and understand the depth of the humor and know not only why a joke is funny, but how to vocally or physically build it for the best result.” Conover stated that “the British dialect, period movement styles and etiquette, and dramaturgical work necessary for a stylistic period show” are being learned, in addition to the acting methods and character work.

The biggest obstacle that Conover and her students have had to overcome is acting with masks, as they are in use to adhere to the COVID-19 safety protocols. Being unable to convey emotions with facial expressions, Conover has been teaching her to students to “[work] a lot with more demonstrative gestures and movements.” Additionally, they have been “thinking about how, when, and why individual words in a phrase are stressed, and are using pitch, volume, diction, and other important vocal tools to relay meaning because facial reactions won’t work in this context.”

Despite this difficulty, Conover and her students are excited and happy to be working together onstage after an 18-month pause. “It has been so rewarding to come back to the stage with a fun and funny work that allows us to laugh and create together,” Conover shared. “Theatre is a collaborative art, and it has been such a struggle to have our industry put on hold for so long. I hope the students feel confident and supported in their creative work and excited to share it with a live audience.”

Performances of The Importance of Being Earnest are Friday, October 22nd, Saturday, October 23rd, and Monday, October 25^th, at 7:30pm; the matinee is Sunday, October 24^th, at 2:30pm. Tickets are $12.00 and can be pre-ordered here, but JSU students registered in any DR class can get one free ticket.