The University of Notre Dame’s Department of Film, Television, and Theatre (FTT) announces Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, in the Patricia George Decio Theatre at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, November 8-12, 2017.
In Wilde’s “trivial comedy for serious people,” first performed in London in 1895, both ladies and gentlemen concoct elaborate fictions in order to evade the burdensome conventions of polite society – and hilarity ensues.
Guest director Mark Seamon, an FTT alumnus (‘98), describes the overall approach to the production as “period beautiful.” Part of the fun, he says, is “seeing how ridiculously these people behave within this beautiful and opulent environment.”
In 1997, Seamon became the first theatre student in decades to direct a department production on the Washington Hall mainstage. Currently serving as Director of Merit Scholarship Enrollment for the university, Seamon returns to direct Earnest on the 20th anniversary of his student directorial debut.
The production features an all-student cast, as well as costumes by Richard E. Donnelly, lighting design by Kevin Dreyer, and scenic design by Marcus Stephens.
In conjunction with the opening night performance on Wednesday, November 8, there will be a pre-performance lecture,“Wilde at Heart: The Importance of Being Oscar,” by Professor Declan Kiberd, the Donald and Marilyn Keough Professor of Irish Studies and professor of English at Notre Dame. The talk will take place at 6:30 pm in B071 Jenkins Nanovic Hall and is co-sponsored by FTT, The First Year of Studies, and the Department of English.
A leading international authority on the literature of Ireland, both in English and Irish, Professor Kiberd has authored scores of articles and many books, including Synge and the Irish Language, Men and Feminism in Irish Literature, Irish Classics, The Irish Writer and the World, Inventing Ireland, and, most recently, Ulysses and Us: The Art of Everyday Life in Joyce’s Masterpiece (2009). He has co-edited with PJ Mathews Handbook of the Irish Revival 1891-1922, a five-hundred-page anthology of cultural and political writings with commentaries and introductions, published by Abbey Theatre Press.
PERFORMANCES:
Wednesday, November 8 – Sunday, November 12
Wednesday – Saturday at 7:30 pm
Saturday & Sunday at 2:30 pm
TICKETS:
Student $7, Faculty/Staff/Senior (65+) $12, General $15.
Additional discounts available for groups of 10 or more. Tickets may be purchased online at http://performingarts.nd.edu, by phone at 574-631-2800, or in person at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center ticket office. Ticket office hours are Monday-Friday, 12:00-6:00 pm.
PRE-SHOW TALK:
“Wilde at Heart: The Importance of Being Oscar” by Professor Declan Kiberd
Wednesday, November 8 at 6:30 pm
B071 Jenkins Nanovic Hall
Free and open to the public
PARKING: Free parking is available daily after 5:00 pm in the Stayer Center parking lot, just north of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. Patrons may now receive free event parking at the Eddy Street Commons Parking Garage by bringing your event tickets and parking ticket to the DPAC Ticket Office to receive a pre-paid parking voucher. An accessible lot for disabled patrons is available immediately adjacent to the center; a valid hangtag or license plate is required. There is a ten-minute parking zone on the north drive of the center for ticket pick-up; during inclement weather you are welcome to drop off guests in this area and proceed to parking.
Note: The Notre Dame campus experiences increased traffic during home football game weekends. If you are planning to attend a performance during these weekends, we suggest allowing an extra 30 minutes to arrive and find parking.
Notre Dame’s Department of Film, Television, and Theatre seeks to inspire intellectual inquiry and nurture creativity. We offer both a scholarly and a creative context for the general liberal arts student at Notre Dame as well as those students seeking intensive preparation for advanced study in these fields. The hands-on nature of our curriculum, coupled with a very high degree of student-faculty interaction, provides students with a singular educational opportunity at a university known for its teaching excellence. The FTT performance season is a direct outgrowth of the department’s academic program and an integral component of our students’ artistic development.