By Amanda Estes

Staff Writer

    July is here and that means if you are strolling
around South Portland’s Spring Point Shoreway, you may come across some
unexpected sights– people  in Victorian costumes, a man in a dress
and a giant, pastel Valentine’s Day card among the remains of Fort
Preble.

    All are sure signs that the Stage at Spring Point is
gearing up for another season of outdoor, classical theatre. This
summer, Visiting Artistic Director Janet Ross will direct a cast of
professional actors in Oscar Wilde’s romantic comedy, The Importance of
Being Earnest.

    “It’s a period play that still resonates in
contemporary time,” Ross said. “It’s still about the difficulty of
finding someone to fall in love with and it’s all about relationships
and obviously the whole idea of romance transcends any period.”

    Audience members who arrive early for the
preperformance series of Welcome to the Classics: Wild about Wilde,
will have an opportunity to learn more about Wilde’s own controversial
romance with Lord Alfred, which led to the public ridicule that shut
Earnest down after 66 performances.

    In an original performance, actor Harlan Baker, who
also appears as Rev. Canon Chasuble in the play, offers a look into the
life of a man who is as well known for scandal as he is for his
wit.   

    During last Thursday’s dress rehearsal, Baker
relayed an exchange that took place between Wilde and a reporter prior
to opening night. When asked if he thought the play would be a success,
Wilde replied, “My dear fellow, you’ve got it wrong. The play is a
success. The only question is whether the first night’s audience will
be one.”

    For Ross, this season with the Stage is one of many
firsts. The Stage has never put on a Wilde play before and it is her
first time directing Earnest. It is also her first time directing an
outdoor play. When Ross was asked to select a play and a concept, she
chose Wilde because she thought it would be “a romp, great fun and very
colorful.”

    Instead of trying to recreate the three locations
that allow for the play’s three romances, Ross chose to forgo a
realistic set in favor of “a thematic concept about romance.”

    Taking inspiration from a Victorian valentine
hanging in her bedroom, Ross and Creative Designer Patrick Dullea
created a pop-up Valentine complete with lace, birds, ribbons, flowers
and Wilde’s visage overlooking the whole scene.

    “I think it serves the play well and I think it’s
original,” Ross said. “I’ve always seen it with two drawing rooms and a
garden.”

    Ross has also put her stamp on the production with
some creative casting including Nate Amadon in the roles of Lane and
Merriman, Algernon’s manservant and Jack’s butler, respectively.
Perhaps more recognizable to theatergoers, however, will be Mark
Honan’s role as Lady Augusta Bracknell. Bracknell, Gwendolen’s mother
and Algernon’s aunt, is a middle aged, aristocratic woman. 

    Although, Ross has never seen the role performed by
a man, she said the 1952 film version with Dame Edith Evans and a more
recent film adaptation with Dame Judi Dench, convinced her that
Bracknell is a handsome woman rather than beautiful.

    “With the right wig, the right hat and the right
dress and a body suit that would provide a little fuller figure…I
thought it would be great fun,” Ross said.

    Honan’s appearance as Lady Bracknell marks his third
season with the Stage. He is an affiliate artist with the Portland
Stage Company.

    “It’s the hardest role I think I’ve ever played,” he
said prior to putting on his dress and wig for the dress rehearsal. He
has had to learn the language and the mannerisms of a middle aged, high
society woman. “The last thing I want is to just be some bloke in
drag.”     

    Honan said Amy Pelkey, who plays Gwendolen, has been
a great help when it comes to putting on the wig and transforming into
Bracknell.

    This season will be Pelkey’s first at the Stage as
well as her first classical piece and her first time performing
outside. Pelkey said she auditioned for the Stage because she has
worked with Ross before and she “enjoyed the high caliber” of her work.


    Ross said the auditions turned out a hardworking and
flexible cast. The actors must be flexible as they begin rehearsals in
an indoor space and then move the whole production on site.

    Pelkey and Honan said learning to project one’s voice is the biggest challenge of performing outdoors.

    While delivering Jaques’ All the World’s a Stage
monologue in last year’s production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It,
Honan said he had to pause for an airplane flying overhead.

    “There are a lot of distractions so for an actor the
ability to focus and concentrate is a much bigger challenge than it is
indoors,” Ross said. “They are all there because they love doing
theatre and love The Importance of Being Earnest and they wanted badly
to play the roles.” 

    The Importance of Being Earnest will run Wednesday
through Sunday, from July 11 to July 28 on the campus of SMCC in South
Portland. Welcome to the Classics: Wild About Wilde begins at 7:15 p.m.
for all performances with the exception of July 13. Curtain for Earnest
is at 8 p.m.

    Tickets are general admission and $10 per person. On
July 11 and 12, the Stage will offer Pay-What-You-Can previews.

    Tickets can be reserved on the day of the show
starting at 6:30 p.m. for that evening’s performance only by calling
828-0128. Reservations must be picked up by 7:30 p.m. at the on site
box office.