Period-themed props flying around, girls in wigs running to their places, and British accents being thrown out left and right are all characteristics of what the pit looked like this past week during Trinitas Arts Conservatory’s production of “The Importance of Being Earnest”.  Well… perhaps to the untrained eye. While the rehearsal process most definitely consisted of all of those things, there was also so much more that was gained during this process: Diligence. Punctuality. Teamwork. Improvisation. Laughter. Tears. Just to name a few. 

“The Importance of Being Earnest” is widely known as ‘a trivial comedy for serious people.’ However, the hilarity that ensued on stage would not have been possible without many stepping stones along the way. 

Our teamwork was built from the very beginning: callbacks. Mr. Betts had us all up on stage and we all participated in an improvisation game. While our ComedySportz captain, Isabella Gutierrez ‘23, could do a far better job explaining it than I could, the game essentially relied on us focusing our attention with one another and working together to move as swiftly as possible. Before every show that we put on throughout performance weekend, we played this same game in the pit, and the rapidity that we completed the game with was a testament to the growth that we had all made with each other. 

Lines are always important when it comes to putting on a show; however, it was more important in this show than perhaps for others. We had the two weeks over winter break to learn all of our lines and our first day back was an off-book date. It was most definitely a challenge, but it pushed us all to achieve our best. 

Like lines, blocking (the movements that an actor makes on stage) is also essential to a show. While it appeared to look simplistic on stage, there were particular beats, outward looks, and specific steps would need to be made in order to make the show what it was. Since there is so much dialogue, in order to create distinct comedic beats, precision was key.

But, above all, what I think made this experience so incredibly memorable were the friendships I made throughout the process. Because this show was most definitely more demanding than others and the cast was considerably small, we all had to rely on each other off stage to create trust on stage. Things like our customary Ruby’s traditions (that were even more fun than normal), our legendary car rides, practicing our lines countless times and acting crazily in the lobby, and trying on new wigs are just some of the many moments that made this experience so memorable. 

 Alex Bohn ‘23, who played Gwendolyn Fairfax mentioned, “‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ is already one of my most cherished memories. It was my last show on stage, but also my biggest role so far. Not only that, but the friendships I have made over the course of tech week alone is a shocking number, and it’s bittersweet to have the experience as a whole come to a close.”

Matt Ellersick ‘23, who played Jack Worthing, expressed, “‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ meant a lot to me. This show was my motivation through this second semester of senior year. It became an embodiment of excitement as we neared opening night. It lastly was the most incredible Trinitas play I’ve ever been a part of. It was so challenging but allowed me to grow as an actor.” 

All in all, this show was truly incredible and was one of my favorites productions that I’ve been a part of at Trinitas. As a senior whose last play was ‘The Importance of Being Earnest,’ I couldn’t have asked for a better cast, crew, and experience.