The Casting Hall of Buffalo State's Theater Department brings a classic comedy to the stage. The Importance of Being Earnest opened Thursday night at Upton Hall on the campus. WBFO'S Focus on Education reporter Eileen Buckley says students embraced the great works of Oscar Wilde and are joined by one of their professors on stage.
"It's one of the great roles in all of English language comedy," said Anthony Chase. Chase is known to the WBFO audience as host of Theater Talk. But Chase serves as Assistant Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities at Buffalo State. He is playing the star role of Lady Bracknell.
"But all great characters actors eventually play Lady Bracknell," said Chase. "Judi Dench did it and then William Hutt, Brian Bedford -- the great British actors have also played."
Chase described what it is like to play the female role. "Well you are simply taking on a character," said Chase.
"I forget that I'm playing something so radically different from myself," said Anthony Chase.
Chase is normally found in the audience to critique theater or in the classroom teaching students, but this time he's takes center stage, wearing a Victorian dress, shoes and hairstyle in this social comedy.
"I forget that I'm playing something so radically different from myself," said Chase.
It took some convincing from the theater department's Associate Professor Donn Youngstorm. He's directing the play and urged Chase to join the cast in that role."Honestly I don't think the play if he hadn't accepted the roll," said Youngstorm.
"He's so knowledgeable with so much to do with the period," said Jesee Tiebor, Bufalo State senior and theater major, referring to Chase's work. "Who Wilde was and why he did and wrote the things that he did."
The student actors appearing in the lead roles have embraced the Victorian time period. Tiebor plays Earnest.
"He's a young man. He's 29-years-old. He holds a decent place in society," said Tiebor about his role. "It's probably one of the most challenging roles I have played."
Daniel Torres is also a Buff State senior and theater major. Torres has one of the lead roles the he describes as a 'prime and proper' character. "Just being able to change my voice," said Torres referring to speaking in an English accent. "It's just really, really cool to have that experience and being able to learn even more voice work from this."
Both Torres and Tiebor are thrilled to work as equal actors on stage with professor Chase.
"I never thought I would get this opportunity to work with someone like him," said Torres. "He was always one of my favorite professor."
"Having the chance to work with him on a main stage show -- I really couldn't ask for much more especially to end my college career with," said Tiebor.
Both students say they're working toward future acting careers and have taken opportunities during their college time to gain professional stage experience.
