The Importance of Being Earnest warms up Theatre Aurora stage this week

January 29, 2026 · 0 Comments

Bright lights are set to warm up the Theatre Aurora stage this week as they raise the curtain on their first production of 2026 – the perennially popular The Importance of Being Earnest.

Penned by Oscar Wilde in 1895, the comedy of manners focuses on two Victorian men who have adopted the same pseudonym, Earnest, to land the ladies. You had to have been there.

“Confusion and hilarity ensue, says Theatre Aurora. “With dazzling wordplay, clever social satire, and absurd twists, The Importance of Being Earnest remains a timeless romp through mistaken identities and the extremes we’ll go to for love (and a little mischief). Join us for an evening of laughter as Wilde’s signature wit skewers society’s pretenses and reminds us all of the true value of being earnest.”

Running on select dates and times through Saturday, February 7, the show is being directed by Theatre Aurora veteran Barb Jones. A producer on the show since it was first conceived as part of Theatre Aurora’s 2025-2026 season, Jones stepped into the director’s chair at the eleventh hour over Christmastime to steer the play through to opening night.

“It’s been an awesome experience with this cast,” says Jones. “I’ve been with Theatre Aurora for a while, so I do know a number of the cast that are there now, but some of these people are new to us, so it’s been a lot of fun getting to know them. The cast has worked their hearts out getting this show up and on the boards, and I’m really excited about seeing it all come together.

“This cast has worked so hard. They are so ready to get this show on the road. Our set is phenomenal, and our set designer and set dresser are working so hard putting things together with such great ideas.”

Jones says Wilde’s work endures simply because it’s “classic comedy” and while it “pokes fun at the societal norms of the time, it also translates to now.”

“I think it’s just one of those shows that’s timeless,” she says. “It becomes something that people can relate to of all ages, all walks of life. Oscar Wilde was a bit of a trailblazer in a number of ways; he wrote so many different things. He wrote plays, poems, novels, the whole bit, but he was part of, shall we say, the original gay community. He was imprisoned for it because, at the time, that was not done.”

As she looks forward to opening night, Jones says she believes there’s something for everyone in this time-tested comedy.

“I hope audiences will understand that this is all a bit of a gentle poke at some of our own views of family and family life, that, in the end, family is a really big part of everything we do,” says Jones. “The search for Earnest’s family and where it ends up is something important, and I think it’s important for everybody to take that away – that we’re all looking for family, whether it’s blood relations, or whether we have families of friends, but we do all need that family get-together.

“Coming in as a director, I did have a little bit of the essence of the show, but being with [the cast and crew] and working with them on a regular basis has been just such a heartwarming experience. They all seem to be enjoying themselves and they’re such a tight-knit group, just phenomenal in how they treat each other and how they’re working together. That’s going to be coming across to the audience and I hope that people will take way the fact that theatre is fun!”

For more on Theatre Aurora’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest, including dates, times, and tickets, visit theatreaurora.com or call the box office at 905-727-3669.

By Brock Weir
Editor
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter