Broadway's Importance of Being Earnest Streaming Now for Free

The show was filmed at Roundabout Theatre Company's American Airlines Theatre during its Broadway run in 2011, and was never released publicly except for its one-night cinema showing in June 2011.

A decade later, the Roundabout Theatre Company production has made its way to streaming for the first time.

Here's how you can watch The Importance of Being Earnest for free now:

In Earnest, the late Brian Bedford plays British Lady Augusta Bracknell, who is one of several mouthpieces conveying Wilde's iconic ideas about social standing, romance and manners. The show opened on January 13, 2011, and was filmed in March of the same year.

The filmed capture, titled "The Importance of Being Earnest: Live in HD" screened worldwide in movie theatres and performing arts centers in June 2011. The filmed play was never made available on any streaming platform, until today.

Digital Theatre, which is offering a free 7-day account to their streaming service, has now added the play to their growing library. A direct link to the show has been added to our Importance of Being Earnest page.

In addition to the play, the capture includes a backstage tour hosted by Tony winner David Hyde Pierce. An intermission special includes Alfred Molina and Oscar Wilde expert Michael Hackett discussing Oscar Wilde.

The Broadway production was nominated for three 2011 Tony Awards: Best Revival of a Play, Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play (Brian Bedford) and Best Costume Design of a Play (Desmond Heeley).

In Earnest, a "dashing men-about-town John Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff pursue fair ladies Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew. Matters are complicated by the imaginary characters invented by both men to cover their on-the-sly activities — not to mention the disapproval of Gwendolen's mother, the formidable Lady Bracknell." 

Dana Ivey (Butley, Driving Miss Daisy) plays Cecily's tutor Miss Prism, Paxton Whitehead (Absurd Person Singular, My Fair Lady, Lettice and Lovage) plays Reverend Chasuble, Santino Fontana (Billy Elliot) plays Oxford lad Algernon Moncrieff, David Furr (Accent on Youth, Cymbeline) plays his pal Jack Worthing, Tim MacDonald plays manservant Merriman, Paul O'Brien plays butler Lane, Charlotte Parry (Coram Boy) plays Cecily Cardew and Sara Topham plays Gwendolyn and Cobb is the Servant.

The production team includes Duane Schuler (Lighting Design), Drew Levy (Sound Design), Berthold Carrière (Music), Paul Huntley (Wig Design), Robyn Henry (Stage Manager).