the only thing worse than being looked at is not being looked at
〰️
the only thing worse than being looked at is not being looked at 〰️
“DELICIOUSLY FUNNY”
“absolutely smashing”
MUSIC
BY
BRET SIMMONS
BOOK & LYRICS
BY
DAVID HOWARD
BASED ON “THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST” BY OSCAR WILDE
With its mistaken identities, sudden engagements and outrageous coincidences, Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest has delighted audiences for over a century and is undoubtedly one of the funniest plays ever written. And how best to bring this timeless comedy into its next century than by adding the one thing it lacks—music! This delightful new musical illuminates Wilde’s play through songs filled with his biting, cynical wit; brilliant social commentary; and soaring heart-felt romance!
Audience Response
“I ENJOYED THIS MORE AS A MUSICAL THAN AS A PLAY!”
“I’m absolutely enchanted!”
“SUCH FUN!!”
“DELIGHTFUL, MUSICAL REINVENTION OF WILDE’S CLASSIC!”
“LOVED THE LYRICS, THE HARMONIES, THE JOY!”
“DELIGHTFULLY ENTERTAINING!”
“A FANTASTIC MUSICAL ADAPTATION OF THIS GREAT PLAY!”
“I CAN’T IMAGINE THIS PLAY WITHOUT MUSIC!”
“UNBELIEVABLY CATCHY SONGS!”
(AUDIENCE RESPONSE FORMS, MUSICAL THEATRE WEST, NEW WORKS, NEW VOICES, 2021)
PROFESSIONAL PRAISE
“Our audiences loved Earnest. It was the highest ranking piece we presented. It was short. It was sweet. And the music sticks to your brain. It was packed with witty comedy.
Bren Thor, new works director, Musical Theatre West
“The audiences are loving it, and usually, their biggest comment is, “Oh my gosh, I don’t think I’ll ever see this regular play again without thinking, ‘Where’s the music?’
“…the music allows us to take a moment to explore the fun in a way that feels so fresh and twice as relatable.”
Glen Kelman, Director, Workshop, Reading, Premiere
“I was lucky enough to see one of the very first readings of it—the sing-through, and I think maybe halfway through, I grabbed my husband’s hand and said, “This needs to come to our audiences, because they will love it.”
Gia Jordahl, Artistic Director, Torance Theatre Company
BIOS
BRET SIMMONS (MUSIC)
Bret Simmons has credits within the music industry as a Composer, Producer, Arranger, and Music Director. His versatile talents have been showcased as the on-camera Bandleader and Keyboardist for TV’s The Megan Mullally Show on NBC. His work has been featured in hundreds of live shows and special events for clients ranging from The Walt Disney Company to the Olympics. During his career, he has served as Staff Music Director for Disney and Staff Songwriter for a variety of music publishers, including EMI Music Publishing and Famous Music Corp. His recordings have been released on CBS/SONY records and Walt Disney Records. He is the composer of the musical Lucky Star (Phoenix Theatre), and the Off-Broadway musical Falling for Eve, written with David Howard and Joe DiPietro, which is licensed at Theatrical Rights Worldwide along with the musical Changing Minds.
DAVID HOWARD (BOOK & LYRICS)
David’s most visible credit is Dreamwork’s major feature film Galaxy Quest (Story and Screenplay credit), recently recognized as #61 on the Writers Guild 101 Funniest Screenplays of all time and for which he received a Hugo Award, a Nebula Award and a Silver Raven Award. David has also worked in television and live theatre. Television credits include The Carver Brothers (series pilot, with Robert Deniro’s Tribeca Films for CBS (co-written with M.F. McDowell) and Dead and Breakfast (series pilot) for the WB. Live-stage credits include Falling For Eve (lyricist, based on his play Adam Alone) with book by Joe DiPietro and music by Bret Simmons, appeared Off-Broadway at the York Theatre. His play Electric Roses was performed at Actors Theatre of Louisville and published in anthologies by Samuel French and Smith Kraus.
workshops & productions
musical theatre west
WORKSHOP READING, 2020
musical theatre west
READING, NEW WORKS, NEW VOICES, 2021
torrance theatre company
PRODUCTION, DECEMBER 2021
Whittier Center Theatre
PRODUCTION, SEPTEMBER, 2023