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The Blue Forest Theatre Academy is undertaking its inaugural venture into adult community theater with a presentation of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” this Friday and Saturday, Dec. 8 and 9, at 7 p.m., in Virginia Military Institute’s Marshall Theater.
Presented in collaboration with the Buena Vista Arts Council, this classic play “is a brilliant satire of societal norms and the upper class, with themes of identity, love and societal obligations as relevant today as in Wilde’s time,” said a spokesperson. “The elaborate costumes and detailed set design promise to transport audiences back to the Victorian age, offering an immersive experience into Wilde’s ingenious world.”
Under the direction of Dr. Dave Dixon, the play “is more than just a production; it’s a celebration of local talent and a testament to the community’s growing artistic fervor.” The cast includes Dallin Lewis, Kindra Heilpern, Jim Forbes, Laurel Hofer, Mackenzie Romriell, Kim Hirt, David Lusk, Marianne Hause and Autumn Kelland. Producer is Jess Dixon and set designer is Ember Forsberg.
The play, said Dr. Dixon, offers “an opportunity to enjoy a classic piece of literature and support the thriving arts culture in Rockbridge County. I don’t know if there is anything quite like experiencing live theater in person. As Oscar Wilde, the great playwright responsible for this very play, said, ‘I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.’ ” The Blue Forest Theatre Academy has previously staged numerous musicals for children and youth. Kim Hirt’s skills-based academy has been instrumental in teaching life skills and safe risktaking through theater productions. Their recent shows, “Finding Nemo: The Musical” and “The Addams Family Musical,” were staged in October.
Tickets to “The Importance of Being Earnest” are available at rockbridgetheater.com and at the door.
