PERSONS IN THE PLAY by order of appearance (click on name for Actor Bio) Lane - Phil Erickson Algernon Moncrieff - Christopher Saunders John "Jack" Worthing - Garrett Milich Lady Bracknell - Diane El-Shafey(April 30-May 1) and Sue Derrow (May 6-14) Gwendolen Fairfax - Maddy Curtis Cecily Cardew - Suzanne Johnson and Amy Blair (4/30) Miss Prism - Penny Hauffe Reverend Chasuble - Phil Erickson Merriman - Amy Blair and Briana Matthews (4/30) Merriman's Assitant - Briana Matthews

April 29 - May 15 2011 Run Rabbit Run Dinner Theatre at Grandale Farm Restaurant All Arts Review "Critic's Choice: Run Rabbit Run Dinner Theatre's The Importance of Being Earnest" and "Best Acting: Full Cast." "Run Rabbit Run Theatre's production of Oscar Wilde's period comedy... has achieved a level of excellence not often seen on the dinner theatre circuit. From casting to staging to wardrobe, the show exudes meticulous attention to detail that results in an evening of marvelous entertainment." — Beverly Ford, All Arts Review From the Loudoun Magazine spring 2011 issue: "Grandale Farm Restaurant neatly parallels Run Rabbit Run's focus on local resources. Like all of their menus, the menu for the Earnest performances — which will include several entrée options and a pastry bar — features produce grown and harvested on site." — Michelle Delgado, "Dinner Theater Serves Up Comedy"   View the 3-minute YOUTUBE VIDEO of vignettes from the 4/30 performance

View the FACEBOOK ALBUM of rehearsal Photos by Jim Poston

 

ARTISTIC STAFF

Director/Producer - Meredith Bean McMath

Stage Manager - Briana Matthews

Set Design - Laney Oxman

Technical Set Design - Lorenzo Bean

Costumes - Maxine Hay Bean and M.B. McMath

Master Electrician - Alan Kyte

Technical Advisor - Garrett Milich

		THE SET The four draft maquettes seen at left were created by award-winning artist Laney Oxman for this production.  The triangular pieces represent four of the eight 9' tall, 30" wide, revolving panels that will be used during the show.  Heightened colors and the representations of extravagant Edwardian decor will serve to underscore the over-the-top nature of this rollicking comedy.  Ms. Oxman's design was based on the ancient Greek "periaktoi," the pyramidal piece that revolved to represent various scenes in the play.  Laney Oxman 's art is in the permanent collections of The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York and The Virginia Museum, Richmond (among others), and her art has exhibited at the White House, The National Museum of American Art, The Renwick Gallery and other museums, presidential libraries and galleries throughout the country.  Her work will be exhibited at ArtSquare in Leesburg March 11 - April 3.  Find out more...
		THE COSTUMES The gravity-defying drama of the 1895 sleeve truly underscores the ridiculous heights to which the upper crust had sailed, and the show, first produced in 1895, begs to be seen with the costuming of the day. Those who've attended Run Rabbit Run Productions (and the former Aurora Studio Theatre) know great costumes are a priority for us.  For this show, mother/daughter team Maxine Bean and Meredith Bean McMath built several circa 1895 costumes.  The image at left is Maxine's design for Lady Bracknell's Act One costume.  Diane El-Shafey as Lady Bracknell Maxine has assisted many area theatre productions and served as Head of Costuming for Loudoun's Very Special Arts for over ten years.  Meredith has given countless presentations on costume history and wrote and produced the documentary, "Having a Ball: Ballroom Costume, Etiquette and Dance in the Midst of the Rebellion" which aired several times on The History Channel. Together they've costumed over 100 area theatre productions, living history plays and presentations.  While neither has degrees in costuming, they come by the work honestly: Maxine's mother, Virginia Hay: Virginia was an award-winning clothing designer who founded and ran the Hay School of Fashion in St. Louis, Missouri, and she passed her love of design and costume to her daughter and granddaughter.