Wild about Oscar

As Kathleen Cardillo discusses her third show as head of the St Joseph High School Drama Club, she admits she had an ulterior motive for choosing Oscar Wilde's play, "The Importance of Being Earnest."

She is trying to educate students through the stage, exposing her actors to a wide range of shows including comedies, tragedies, classics and modern works to show their relevance to society today.

"I want them to be educated. Even though it's a club I still want them learning," she said.

"I was the first person do plays in a litttle while," added Cardillo, who has taught English and theater at the private Catholic high school for six years. She revived the school's fall play tradition with the play "Our Town" after taking over the Drama Club last fall.

"We wanted to do a comedy this year," she said.

But more importantly, the lesson of Wilde's play is particularly relevant today as celebrities' unsavory sides are being exposed, according to Cardillo.

"Just because you're famous doesn't mean you're  a good role model," Cardillo said. "The famous people of Victorian England were terrible role models. They were living very loose lives."

"Nothing ever changes," she added.

One the characters, Algernon, who uses his fictional and often-ill friend "Bunbury" as an excuse to go to the country, is a favorite of some of the actors.

"I like Algernon. He's such jerk," said Crisara Smith, a 16-year-old junior, playing Miss Prism.

"He's a self-absorbed rich kid," said Trevor Krafnick, a 17-year-old senior playing Dr. Chasuble.

Sasha Kawakami, 15 and a sophomore, added, "He thinks romance is dead until he falls in love." She plays Cecily.

The other actors are: Brian Hughes, playing Jack; Kyle Cannone, playing Algernon; Mara Santilli, playing Gwendolyn; Sam Russell, playing Lane; Tori Schuchmann, 16 and a junior, playing Lady Bracknell; and Michael McGannon, a 17-year-old junior, playing Merriman.

McGannon appreciated the choice of the play.

"I love the show," he said. "The one-line jokes are just amazing. [Wilde's] a genius."

Showtimes are Nov. 4, at 7pm; Nov. 5 and 6, at 8pm. Tickets are $15 for reserved seats; seniors and students, $10; and general admission, $7. Tickets are also available by sending an e-mail to sjhstickets@gmail.com.

St. Joseph High School is located at 2320 Huntington Tpke.