West Windsor – Mercer County Community College’s Kelsey Theatre kicks off 2023 with Shakespeare 70s production of Oscar Wilde’s “An Ideal Husband” weekends January 20 through 29. Kelsey Theatre is located on the Mercer County Community College campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road in West Windsor. 

One of Oscar Wilde’s final plays, “An Ideal Husband” was first produced in 1895 and combines wit, philosophy and drama in a way that is still relevant today. 

“The play is a bubbling comedy with interesting twists,” said Kitty Getlik, artistic director of Kelsey Theatre. 

Government minister, Sir Robert Chiltem, is respectable and well-off with a loving wife. When the conniving Mrs. Cheveley appears with evidence of a past misdeed and threatens to blackmail him, his best friend tries (through a number of comedic entanglements) to lead Sir Robert and his family out of harm. But there are others who have desires and ambitions all their own.

Countless elements of today’s turbulent times: feminism, blackmail, political corruption, morality and mistrust, love and forgiveness, are all served up with effervescent Oscar Wilde wit.

The critic Bindon Russell described “An Ideal Husband” as “the most autobiographical of Wilde's plays, mirroring, as it does, his own situation of a double life and an incipient scandal with the emergence of terrible secrets.”

The cast features Kate Augustin of East Brunswick as Mabel Chiltern, Nick Bettens of Stanhope as Lord Arther Goring, Mark Falango of Titusville as Lord Caversham, Ray Fallon of Lawrenceville as Sir Robert Chiltern, Christina Parke of Hamilton Township as Lady Markby, Shannon McGovern of Cranford as Mrs. Cheveley and Hannah Rapaport-Stein of West Windsor as Lady Chiltern.

The show is directed by Curt Foxworth. Other members of the production crew include Assistant Director Frank Falisi, Production Manager Lili Timmes, Stage Manager Kailey Fitzgerald, Costume Consultant Janet Quartarone and Sound Designer Sean Barton.

Performance Dates

Friday, Jan. 20 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 21 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 27 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 28 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 29 at 2 p.m.

Tickets

Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for children, students and senior citizens. Tickets may be purchased online at KelseyTheatre.org or by calling the Kelsey Box Office at 609-570-3333.

Kelsey Theatre is wheelchair accessible and free parking is available next to the building. Assisted listening devices are available upon request. For a complete listing of events, visit the Kelsey website at www.KelseyTheatre.org.

Please note: Masks are recommended but not required.

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“At Kelsey Theatre, we have pledged to take active steps in creating true diversity, equity and inclusion in our productions through systemic policy change and individual accountability -- aiming to foster an inclusive environment for people of all races, genders, nationalities, creeds, sexual orientation, socio-economic status and abilities.” –The Kelsey Team 

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Shakespeare 70 will present Oscar Wilde's 1895 comedy, "An Ideal Husband" Jan. 20-29 at MCCC's Kelsey Theatre on the West Windsor Campus. For tickets, visit KelseyTheatre.org or call 609-570-3333. (Pictured above: Ray Fallon of Lawrenceville as Sir Robert Chiltern and Hannah Rapaport-Stein of West Windsor as Lady Chiltern. Photo credit: Shakespeare 70)