Mistaken identities leading to secret engagements and enough one-liners to fill a diary, Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest helps prove to the audience that comedy quite literally never goes out of style or unnoticed, even decades later. Over a century after its first-ever performance, the play still makes audiences laugh and pokes at the issue that pretending to be someone isn’t a Victorian problem—it’s a timeless one.

Last week, the Lakewood High School Barnstormers performed Oscar Wilde’s play in the Black Box Theater, Nov. 6-8.

The production, directed by Mr Fairnelli-Martinez, Lakewood High School’s drama teacher and fall play director for Barnstormers, leaned into the play’s wit and absurdity, blending classic Victorian elegance with a modern twist.

“Whenever we pick a show, we always pick something that really highlights the kids and really works for the kids that we have in the program. And this year, we have the talent for it, we had the drive for it,” Mr Fairnelli-Martinez said. His approach to how he picks each show is evident in the production. The Barnstormers turned a 19th-century classic into a relatable experience for the modern audience. The passion was easy to see throughout the performance from the cast’s enthusiasm and chemistry on stage.

“We don’t have a typical set like there aren’t walls up, so we’re really relying on the painted floors, the furniture that we chose, the costumes that the kids created to set the tone,” Fairnelli-Martinez said. “Lighting and sound are so incredibly important not only to see what’s going on but to also establish a mood.” Because it is round, with all four sides open to the audience, lighting and set design are considered essential.

The simplicity of the set helped highlight the students’ creativity. Costumes, made not only by students apart from Barnstormers, but also by Autumn Sabin, one of Lakewood High School’s art teachers, helped play a role in transporting the audience back in time to Wilde’s world. With no elaborate backdrop to distract, every detail was carefully chosen, allowing audiences to focus on the actor’s dialogue, movement, and expressions.

“A feeling that you can be yourself—your quirky, strange self—and you are valid,” Fairnelli-Martinez said. Capturing what theater is all about: finding oneself. Wilde’s play is all about characters who hide behind false identities only to discover that being honest and true to themselves is when they find their true source of happiness.

Fairnelli-Martinez’s words echo the same idea: Authenticity, both on and off the stage, is something to be proud of. If you’re sitting in the audience enjoying the show, or were one of the cast members starring in it.

“The most challenging part has been just memorizing the lines for everything, because it’s a lot, since it’s such a small cast, so everyone has a lot to memorize,” Alex Watts said. Watts is a junior at Lakewood High School who played Jack, one of the leads in The Importance of Being Earnest. The cast’s dedication behind the scenes was felt from the stage and kept the audience engaged from start to finish. With such a small cast, every actor played a role in maintaining the energy and humor throughout the play.

Alex Watts’ portrayal of Jack captured the meaning of Wilde’s message—someone trying to balance honesty, love, and identity while being caught up in his own life choices. Watts’ performance blended a mixture of both humor and sincerity. Even with the challenges he listed, it didn’t fault his performance whatsoever, showcasing how much effort went into the production.

“I really like the community that Barnstormers gives you… especially in the fall, it’s such a small cast, and so everyone gets really close,” Watts said. “The tech crew and the actors become kind of like a family.” That family dynamic was shown on stage during the performance. It was clear that the actors and crews’ bond offstage translated into confidence and connection on stage.

“My favorite moment in the play is the fight between Cecily and Gwendolyn when they both think they’re engaged to the same person.” Cora Barcelona, a senior at Lakewood High School, said. Barcelona portrayed Cecily, one of the leads in The Importance of Being Earnest. This scene was a favorite for both Barcelona and Farinelli-Martinez.

Cecily and Gwendolyn confront each other over who is genuinely engaged to Ernest. Junior Tessa Ritchie plays Gwendolyn alongside Barcelona. Both deliver their lines with comedic timing and display Wilde’s clever commentary on love, social expectations, and identity.

“She’s a lot like me. She has a very strong zest for life, and is honestly very isolated as a character,” Barcelona said. This personal connection helped make the character more believable on stage. Barcelona’s understanding of the character helped the audience engage with Barcelona’s humor and charm even more when she was in character.

Lakewood High School’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest was a showcase of the talent, dedication, and creativity that Barnstormers has to offer. Everything portrayed in the show reflects the hard work the cast and crew put into making the performance what it was. Even with a small group, the production was able to bring a classic play to life. Even a century after Wilde first wrote the play, this production helped remind the audience that the theme of identity and finding oneself remains timeless. Everyone experiences it, not just during Wilde’s time.

The Barnstormers’ next performance will be Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 for the spring musical, Mar. 26-28, 2026.