2026 Shakespeare Fest: The Importance of Being Earnest

“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.” Lies, love, and low-stakes scandal collide in Oscar Wilde’s deliciously absurd comedy of manners. Jack and Algernon each invent fictional alter egos—both conveniently named Ernest—to dodge social obligations and pursue romance, but their schemes unravel in spectacular fashion when their lies catch up with them. Between misplaced handbags, surprise engagements, and a fierce guardian named Lady Bracknell, The Importance of Being Earnest is a gloriously witty roast of class, marriage, and respectability. It’s high society meets high drama—with all the charm, sass, and shade you’d expect from Wilde.