Ernest in Love
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| Ernest in Love | |
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| Original Cast Recording | |
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| Music | Lee Pockriss |
| Lyrics | Anne Croswell |
| Book | Anne Croswell |
| Based upon | Oscar Wilde's play The Importance of Being Ernest |
| Productions | 1960 Off-Broadway |
Ernest in Love is a musical with a book and lyrics by Anne Croswell and music by Lee Pockriss. It is based on The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde's classic comedy of manners.
The two-acter was an expanded version of the hour-long musical Who's Earnest? televised on The United States Steel Hour in 1957 [1]. The off-Broadway production, directed by Harold Stone and choreographed by Frank Derbas, opened on May 4, 1960 at the Gramercy Arts Theatre, where it ran for 103 performances. The cast included Louis Edmonds as Algernon, John Irving as Jack, Leila Martin as Gwendolen, Gerrianne Raphael as Cecily, Sara Seegar as Lady Bracknell, Lucy Landau as Miss Prism, George Hall as Dr. Chausable, Christina Gillespie as Effie, and Alan Shayne as Lane.
An original cast recording was released by Columbia Records. In 2003, a compact disc transfer was issued on the DRG label.
The Japanese all-female musical theatre troupe Takarazuka Revue staged the musical in 2005 in two productions, one by Moon Troupe (featuring the debut of Jun Sena and Kanami Ayano) and the other one by Flower Troupe (the last production for Sakiho Juri for the company).
[edit] Synopsis
Wealthy bachelor Algernon Moncrieff's invalid friend Mr. Bunbury spares him from attending boring social engagements. His friend Jack Worthing pretends to have a brother whose irresponsible antics in London always require his immediate attention. Their lady loves are Jack's ward Cecily and Algy's cousin Gwendolen, the daughter of his domineering and disapproving Aunt, Lady Augusta Bracknell. Cecily's tutor, the spinster Miss Prism has designes on local pastor Dr. Chausable. The servants Effie and Lane decry the stuffy structured courtship practices of the upper class. A mystery involves an oversized handbag that was deposited in the cloakroom of the Victoria Railway Station many years before.
[edit] Songs
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