A Wilde Night in Jamaica Plain!
The Footlight Club and the Loring-Greenough House invite you to Party, Promenade, and Play: A Wilde Affair. You are invited to attend an elegant garden party at the Loring-Greenough House, followed by the opening night performance of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest at the Footlight Club! Enjoy delicious hors d'oeurves and desserts, along with some festive, bubbly spirits, outdoors in the garden of the historic Loring-Greenough House built in 1760 before strolling across the street to historic Eliot Hall, home of the Footlight Club for opening night of the final show of their 142nd season. Reception starts at 6pm, and you are invited to come in Victorian garb, with the stroll to the theatre taking place at 7:30pm. Plenty of time to pick up your ticket and find your seat for the 8pm performance!
Written in 1894 and first produced in 1895, The Importance of Being Earnest is a farcical comedy set in late Victorian era London, in which the leading characters maintain fictitious personae to escape burdensome social obligations. In the hands of talented director David Marino, and a cast of vets and newcomers to the Club, the lush, clever dialog crackles with wit and charm.
The Loring-Greenough House was constructed in 1760 by Commodore Loring and owned by the Greenough family from 1783 until 1924. The Jamaica Plain Tuesday Club purchased the house in 1924 and has been steward ever since then. In 2008, the club articulated a vibrant new community-oriented role for the House as a center for social, cultural, historical, and educational activities.
Situated directly across the street by the monument, Eliot Hall is home to the Footlight Club, America’s oldest continuously-operating community theater. Originally built in 1832 in Greek Revival/Italianate style, the hall was slated for demolition by the time the club's members purchased it in 1889. Since then it has served for over a century as the organization's home and performance venue. The Trustees of Eliot Hall were formed by the group in the 1980s to oversee renovations to the deteriorating building, saving it from closure, and in 1988 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Tickets for this very special event are just $40 ($20 for Footlight Club Members), which includes the reception with hors d’oeurves, desserts, and drinks, and a ticket to the show. You can purchase tickets now here.