Irish Repertory Theatre will be producing the overlooked, but charming musical, Ernest in Love, Off-Broadway. Ernest in Love has a book and lyrics by Anne Croswell and music by Lee Pockriss and will be directed by Charlotte Moore, with Barry McNabb taking up choreographic duties. The press release from Irish Rep describes the show as follows:
Ernest in Love, a sparkling and witty musical about social hypocrisy among the crème de la crème of Victorian England, is a faithful adaptation of [Oscar] Wilde’s superb comic masterpiece, The Importance of Being Earnest — featuring all of its much-beloved characters… The clever, tuneful score is the perfect complement to Wilde’s incomparable wordplay and sharp witticisms.
The parts will be taken by:
- Beth Fowler as Lady Bracknell;
- Noah Racey as John “Jack” Worthing;
- Ian Holcomb as Algernon Moncrieff;
- Katie Fabel as Cecily Cardew;
- Annika Boras as Gwendolyn Fairfax;
- Brad Bradley as Lane/Merriman;
- Kristin Griffith as Miss Prism;
- Peter Maloney as Dr. Chasuble; and
- Kerry Conte as Alice/Effie.
Well, my dears, it sounds divine!
Musical Cyberspace 
The thing that puzzles me the most, though, is it seems Jack’s butler was turned into a romantic soubrette role. He sings a big love song to Cecily’s maid. I’m very doubtful as to how that works out. Apart from that, it’s got some good and witty things in it. Since Tovarich, I’ve been convinced Anne Croswell was a better-than-average lyricist. Too bad she didn’t keep on.