La Salle High School Presents “The Importance of Being Earnest”

La Salle High School students will take audiences on a fun-filled excursion to the English countryside where mistaken identities and duplicity run rough shod over Victorian manners in Oscar Wilde’s delightful comedy, “The Importance of Being Earnest.” The play opens Friday, Nov. 9 at the school’s Linda M. Grindstead Theatre for a nine-performance run, closing Nov. 18.

Directed by Jude Lucas, Wilde’s “trival comedy for serious people” is a biting satire of Victorian manners. Ms. Lucas is keeping true to the era in costuming and sets. The play will be performed by two casts.

Wilde’s comedy tells the story of two young gentlemen living in 1890’s England who have taken to bending the truth in order to put some excitement into their lives.

Jack Worthing (Ari Harris/Spencer Raines) has invented a brother, Ernest, whom he uses as an excuse to leave his dull country life behind to visit the ravishing Gwendolyn (Cheyanne Williams/Dani Pomeroy). His best friend, Algernon Montcrieff, (Luke Bolle/Alec Gillies) also has decided to take the name ‘Ernest’ when visiting Worthing’s young and beautiful ward, Cecily (Tesia Meza/Emily (Kate) Coolidge) at the country manor.

Things start to go awry when they end up together in country and their deceptions are discovered, threatening to spoil their romantic pursuits. Add to the mix, the acerbic Lady Bracknell (Taylor Arrighi-Bracci/Maddy Pefferle), who is Gwendolyn’s no-nonsense mother, and proves to be a force of, if not nature, the Victorian upper-class.

Other members of the first cast include Jessica Messineo as Miss Prism, Johnny Consiglio as Rev. Chausable, and Ryan Browne as Merriman. Members of the second cast also include Emily Wright as Miss Prism, Andre Ting as Rev. Chausable, and Bailey Le Roy as Merriman. Dom Dagandon as Lane and Thea McKay as Anne appear in both casts.

The production will be performed Friday, Nov. 9, at 7 pm; Saturday, Nov. 10, at 2 pm and 7 pm; Sunday, Nov. 11, at 6 pm; Friday, Nov. 16, at 7 pm, Saturday, Nov. 17, at 2 pm and 7 pm; and Sunday, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m.

To make reservations, call the box office at (626) 696-4415. Tickets are $9 for students and $12 general admission.

La Salle High School, 3880 East Sierra Madre Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 351-8951 or visit www.lasallehs.org.