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The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest

Adapted by Aurand Harris. From the play by Oscar Wilde.

Product Code: IA8000

  • One-act Play
  • Comedy | Farce
  • Cast size: 5m., 4w.

    Livestream Rights Available

    Contact our customer service department to order or for more information.
  • Awards: The Charlotte B. Chorpenning Playwright Award

Rights and availability
This title can be licensed and sold throughout the World.

* Please note the royalty rate listed is the minimum royalty rate per performance. The actual royalty rate will be determined upon completion of a royalty application.

$9.95 /script

Min. Royalty Rate: $50/perf

In stock

Synopsis

This superb adaptation is ideal for high school one-act play contests, classroom studies and mini-productions. The Importance of Being Earnest is a masterpiece of high comedy, sparkling with provocative observations. All of the highlights of the play are retained in this short adaptation—the plot's unexpected farcical twists, the characters and the dialog. Oscar Wilde called his play "A trivial comedy for serious people." He commented that the first act is "ingenious," the second act "beautiful" and the third "abominably clever." Audiences and critics alike applaud the play as a celebration of wit.

Notes

Livestream Rights Available

Contact our customer service department for more information.

Details

  • Status

    In stock

  • Type of Show One-act Play
  • Product Code IA8000
  • Cast Size 9
  • Min. Royalty Rate $50/perf
  • Cost $9.95
  • Approx. Run Time 40 min

Categories

  • Target Audience High School | College and Adult
  • Performing Group High School | College Theatre
  • Genre Comedy | Farce
  • ISBN(13) 9781583427606
* Please note the royalty rate listed is the minimum royalty rate per performance. The actual royalty rate will be determined upon completion of a royalty application.

Customer Reviews

"The script is beautifully edited and fit our contest needs perfectly. We also needed a gender change for a character and were accommodated. This was a fun production to do and this version is complete as a storyline."
Review by Gerry L. Colvin, Regent Preparatory School, Tulsa, Okla.
"This script was a fantastic abridgement by Aurand Harris! Kept so much of the witty dialogue, and did not leave out any of the plot points - bravo! It was a breath of fresh air in the world of Earnest, and my students took to it very quickly and loved performing it. If you are looking for a one act version of Earnest, this is the one!"
Review by Maureen Fish, Hingham High School, Hingham, Mass.
"My students loved doing this show. They enjoyed the pacing and language. The characters and their motivations were understandable and approachable for the students. I also had a student director who was very successful with this one act."
Review by David Smith, Portland High School, Portland, Maine
"It was a perfect rendition of the full play. It was an appealing classic story to a new drama program."
Review by Lizzy Brannan, Merritt Island Christian School, Merritt Island, FL

Hints, Tips, and Tricks

"I felt it beneficial to work on script using accents from the start."
Tip by Lizzy Brannan, Merritt Island Christian School, Merritt Island, FL

Production Map

Location City State Opens Closes
Legacy High School Broomfield Colorado 10/10/2024 10/11/2024