There’s no trickery needed to enjoy Olympic Theatre Arts’ latest stage show, “The Importance of Being Earnest,” a story centered on two men’s false aliases.

Oscar Wilde’s beloved classic graces the theater’s Gathering Hall stage for three weekends, Sept. 13-29, with tickets available online at olympictheatrearts.org or by calling the box office at 360-683-7326 from 1-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday.

OTA’s membership voted for it, along with “Steel Magnolias,” to be a part of the 2024 season.

Director Ron Graham returns to the show after acting in it years ago while living in Los Angeles, California.

“I really enjoy this show,” he said. “The whole idea is Oscar Wilde writing a fun show about how serious people took themselves.

“It was written not too long after the British empire was doing a lot of (awful things while) colonizing and people soon afterward became so concerned with being proper.”

Wilde, raised in the upper class, found their attitudes hypocritical, Graham said.

“(Characters) say absolutely ridiculous things and they mean it completely,” he said.

The tale follows two bachelors — Jack (played by Sean Stone) and Algernon (Justin Stapleton) — who assume the name Ernest to escape their lives in Victorian society.

Cecily (Charisa Silliman) surprises Algernon/Ernest (Justin Stapleton) to tell him they’re engaged already in a scene from “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

However, they must keep up with their tall tales as they look to win the hearts of Gwendolen (Merrin Packer) and Cecily (Charisa Silliman), who both claim to only love an Ernest Worthing.

Graham said the show still resonates because it’s so well written.

“For every single character, somebody in the audience will know someone just like them,” he said.

“Every single character is a believable individual. Not caricatures. Though the language may be a little more proper, the meaning is still there.”

Stone said the play’s humor holds up more than 100 years since it debuted.

“It’s very entertaining,” he said. “We’ve put a lot of passion and time in to it. Every single one of the actors is an incredible pleasure to work with.”

Stapleton agreed.

“I enjoy Oscar Wilde’s wit and commentary of high society at the time,” he said. “It’s pretty much a satire of aristocracy and being into art for art’s sake. He’s holding up a mirror to them.”

Graham said Packer stepped into her role after another actress became ill and everyone is doing great to help her.

“She brings a great deal of experience and the other actors are helping bring her up to speed,” he said.

Stapleton said he’s appreciated what Silliman has brought to her role, and how Graham has been flexible in letting the actors find their flow on stage.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Lady Bracknell (Janice Parks) interviews Jack/Ernest (Sean Stone) to see if he’s fit to marry her daughter Gwendolen.

“If I can toot our own horn, I think we all have pretty good accents, too,” he said.

For auditions, Stapleton said he sought “Earnest” out and knew he wanted to try for Algernon because he’s the “fun one.”

Stone said Algernon and Jack remind him of he and his brother as opposites.

“It’s ironic because I’m more like Algernon and he’s more like Jack,” he said. “Jack is more type-A, and Algernon likes to joke around and have fun. It’s interesting to put myself in my brother’s shoes.”

With the show set inside OTA’s Gathering Hall, Graham said he sought to immerse the audience into the garden areas the show is set.

“We are trying to give the audience the feeling they’re in the garden, flies on the wall, and while they’re not interacting we want them to feel they’re right there,” he said.

Shows for “The Importance of Being Earnest” begin at 7 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays, with a Pay-what-you-will at 7 p.m. Sept. 12.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Miss Prism (Diane Smith) and Dr. Chasuble (Pete Griffin) discuss marriage during a scene in “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

“The Importance of Being Earnest”

Olympic Theatre Arts’ Gathering Hall, 414 N. Sequim Ave.

Sept. 13-29; 7 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays

Tickets: $20; $15 students

Online: olympictheatrearts.org, or by calling the box office

1-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday at 360-683-7326.

Free Preview/ Pay-what-you-will, 7 p.m. Sept. 12