· FROM THE BOOKLET ·

LINER NOTES

ERNXST

or, the importance of being

STUDIO CAST RECORDING · 2026

14 TRACKS · 52 MIN

· FROM JUSTIN ELIZABETH SAYRE ·

As Wilde wrote, "To love oneself is to begin a lifelong romance," and in creating this new version of Earnest, we're hoping to help everyone who steps into this space to begin that journey for themselves.

By opening Wilde's original up to gender-expansive casting, we've made it possible for any actor to play the role that best suits them. On its face, it doesn't sound like all that revolutionary of an idea, does it? And yet, in the very gendered world of musical theatre it's extremely rare to have a single role not written on the binary, let alone an entire cast. We're writing an Ernxst for our modern day.

You'll still hear the signature wit, and you'll also hear about Wilde himself. In one of our early workshops, this became poignantly evident.

In the summer of 2022, we went to the International Thespian Festival to work with a truly talented group of young actors. Over the course of one week, we workshopped the show. On our last day, right before we were to perform, I spoke to the cast about what the show, their work, and Wilde meant to me.

I told the cast that when The Importance of Being Earnest debuted on Valentine's Day in 1895, it was immediately hailed as a masterpiece, but a week later, Wilde found himself in court defending his life. Homosexuality was illegal in the United Kingdom in the 19th century, and after three disastrous trials, Wilde was eventually found guilty of "Gross Indecency," and sentenced to two years hard labor.

At the height of his powers, Wilde had gone from the most celebrated writer of his day to a reviled figure hated by the society he so ruthlessly skewered in his play. Wilde's fall reminds me of the sacrifice and bravery so many queer people have faced to give me the life that I enjoy today.

When I told the cast about Wilde many seemed genuinely shocked. They hadn't known about Wilde's trial, or what he had suffered. Suddenly the importance of the piece came into view, and Bree and Kait both urged me to make this speech part of the show. In making a space that was open to all, we were also making space for Oscar.

Now we're presenting the thrilling music of this piece for the first time, highlighting a whole host of Broadway's best and brightest. From J. Harrison Ghee to the show-stopping Beth Leavel, we're presenting our Earnest, a work which celebrates Wilde, but also celebrates every actor, singer, and dancer who steps into these roles.

We're creating a space where everyone can be seen, heard, and even fall in love. Because we writers knew each other back then, when we were young and the world felt too small to contain all our multitudes. Now, thanks to Concord's initiative, we have created a gift from a bunch of older bigger theatre kids to a whole host of new ones.

We hope you find the funny, the joy, and the love in this piece, and to know that no matter how or who you show up as, Wilde and the rest of us are standing beside you, cheering you on to be exactly and brilliantly who you are.

— Justin Elizabeth Sayre

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