The Importance of Being Earnest

By Oscar Wilde

Now extended through November 1!

A play of love and snacks. Indulge in the delightful absurdity of Oscar Wilde's comedic masterpiece! In this dazzling display of deception and desire, two charming bachelors bumble through a maze of mistaken identities and appetites. Sharp, smart, and satirical, Wilde called his most popular work “A trivial comedy for serious people.”

Cast
Jack Worthing – Calder Jameson Shilling
Algernon Moncrief – Christopher Clark
Gwendolen Fairfax – Kelly Karcher
Cecily Cardew – Alegra Batara
Lady Bracknell – Shaunyce Omar*
Miss Prism – Jonelle Jordan
Rev. Chasuble – Nik Doner
Lane/Merriman – Tim Gouran

Understudies
Algernon/Rev. Chasuble – Jeremy Steckler
Jack & Lane/Merriman – Sebastian Wang
Gwendolen Fairfax & Cecily Cardew – Marena Kleinpeter
Bracknell/Prism – Candace Vance

*AEA – Actors’ Equity Association

Dates and Times

Single tickets on sale July 9. Group tickets on sale July 8. (more)
Run Dates: Now Extended! September 17–November 1, 2025
Pay-What-You-Can performance: Wednesday, September 24 (more)
Closed Captioned performance: Saturday, October 11 at 7:30 PM
- Closed captioning is optional. Captions can be accessed on your phone or tablet through a QR code that will be made available throughout the lobby and in your Know Before You Go email.
Run Time: Approximately two hours and 20 minutes with one 15-minute intermission.
Start Time: All evening performances begin at 7:30 PM.

Tickets

Price: $25-62, dependent on day and time; fees may apply
Ticket information: Click here for Matinee, PWYC, and other ticketing details.

Advisory

Age Rec: 12+ (children under 5 are never admitted)
Sensitivity Note: Use of a theatrical, non-nicotine cigarette.
Public Health: Click here for health and safety policies.

Further Reading

Study Guide: The Importance of Being Earnest Study Guide (PDF)
Read the Program: In your browser at Encore +, or as a downloadable PDF on Encore Spotlight.

Production photos:

From left to right: Kelly Karcher as Gwendolen Fairfax, Shaunyce Omar as Lady Bracknell, and Christopher Clark as Algernon Moncrief in The Importance of Being Earnest at Taproot Theatre (September 2025). Photo by Robert Wade.

Calder Jameson Shilling as Jack Worthing and Kelly Karcher in The Importance of Being Earnest at Taproot Theatre (September 2025). Photo by Robert Wade.

Alegra Batara as Cecily Cardew and Christopher Clark as Algernon Moncrief in The Importance of Being Earnest at Taproot Theatre (September 2025). Photo by Robert Wade.

Christopher Clark as Algernon Moncrief and Calder Jameson Shilling as Jack Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest at Taproot Theatre (September 2025). Photo by Robert Wade.

From left to right: Kelly Karcher as Gwendolen Fairfax, Calder Jameson Shilling as Jack Worthing, Christopher Clark as Algernon Moncrief, and Alegra Batara as Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Being Earnest at Taproot Theatre (September 2025). Photo by Robert Wade.

Kelly Karcher as Gwendolen Fairfax in The Importance of Being Earnest at Taproot Theatre (September 2025). Photo by Robert Wade.

Jonelle Jordan as Miss Prism and Calder Jameson Shilling as Jack Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest at Taproot Theatre (September 2025). Photo by Robert Wade.

From left to right: Nik Doner as Reverend Chasuble, Shaunyce Omar as Lady Bracknell, and Kelly Karcher as Gwendolen Fairfax in The Importance of Being Earnest at Taproot Theatre (September 2025). Photo by Robert Wade.

Reviews:

"While the supply of finger-food in The Importance of Being Earnest is always on the verge of being depleted, the pleasures in Taproot’s staging just abound. It’s a farcical feast" – The Seattle Times
"gorgeously designed, sharply performed, and consistently hilarious"—Greg Heilman, The Sound on Stage
"[the cast] was much like a select sports team—the best of the best were cast and it absolutely showed" —Mark Sugiyama, Eclectic Arts Media

Highlights:

"It’s a romp, it’s a riot and it’s a ride you just have to get on board with" —Gemma Wilson, The Seattle Times

Now Extended! | Sep 17 – Nov 1, 2025