On Sunday night, Mississippi State University’s theater department wrapped up their four-night production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. The actors and actresses were prepared and ready for curtain call. The doors opened to the public at 1:15 p.m. and audience members began to pour into the theater. Student ushers lined the doors, greeting everyone with programs as they began piling in with their tickets in hand.
Lights began to dim and the play began. The actors and actresses did a fantastic job in transforming and getting into character. The dialogue, dress, and movements all fit into the setting of the play. If students are not too familiar with the play, it is a comedy following the ins and outs of character, Jack Worthing, who introduces himself as Ernest. The play was received with laughter and applause. 
Upon sitting as an audience member, one could not escape how detailed and intact the set designs were. Cody Stockstill, scenic and lighting design director, designed the set.
“I started designing at the end of our last production, “The Lion, Witch, and The Wardrobe,” Stockstill said. “It took two months to design the set, and about five weeks to build it into what you see today.”
This was the first MSU theater production for River Shadix, junior communication major, who played Algernon Moncrief. 
“Theater has always been a dream job of mine,” Shadix said. “Being a communication major, I have a concentration in broadcast and I have always saw that as being my backup job.”
If there was ever a wonder of how MSU’s theater department differed from others, Sadix cleared things up with his opinion. 
“The theater at MSU has way more advantages than any other theater I have performed with, making it less stressful and easier to work with,” Shadix said. “For example, the tech crew are taking classes for what they do, and everything runs so smoothly, which makes it an enjoyable atmosphere to work in.”
On his character, Algernon, Shadix said audience can expect to understand him in the show as privileged and not afraid to show it.
“The show is very old and British, it gets your brain working and may seem educational to some just simply trying to understand the old language, nonetheless, it is a comedy and sure to make you laugh,” Shadix said.
Danny Ward, who plays Lane, Algernon’s butler in the play, is a senior majoring in Theater. The Importance of Being Earnest is Ward’s 11th MSU production to be apart of. 
“I see myself being a part of the theater when I graduate, only, I want to teach,” Ward said. “I have really enjoyed learning, not only as an actor but also back stage.
On his character, Lane, Ward said he is a very dry British character that just stands there and does not make a peep.
Danny Ward shared his thoughts on what he believes is important to a theater production. 
“It’s not something anyone can do by themselves, it takes a lot of people putting in a lot of hours, and it’s so much more than the people on stage, we couldn’t function without the people backstage,” Ward said.
Callie Hester, a sophomore double major in art and theater, played the character of Cecily Cardew.
“Thanks to the directors Cody, Tim, and Melanie, I have learned so much here than anywhere else I have been and I have grown so much more as an actor,” Hester said.
Hester is referring to Melanie Harris, who makes the lovely costumes for the theater department and Tim Matheny who directed this play.
Hester on her character, Cecily Cardew, said she could possibly be interpreted as a bit of a ditz.
“She makes up a lot of stories in her mind, for example, meeting men and thinking she’s already engaged to them in her head; she’s very gullible,” Hester said.
“The play is a sort of like a sarcastic comedy,” Hester said. “It will put you in the mind of a British Seinfeld.”
Fans of the theater can prepare for the next MSU Theater production coming this February with the showing of “Boeing Boeing.”