Left to right: Emma Wesslund, Noah Rich, Nicholas Temple, Susan Holliday, Camille Pozderac in “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Photo courtesy of Silver Spring Stage. The 2019 Silver Spring Stage production of “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde is now streaming on YouTube. It is produced by Lenny Magida and directed by Bill Hurlbut. The play was first performed on February 14, 1895 in London. The production was the pinnacle of Wilde’s career but oddly led to his downfall. Wilde was gay and his lover was the son of the Marquess of Queensberry. The Marquess planned to give Wilde a bouquet of rotten vegetables at intermission. Wilde found out, and Queensberry was stopped at the door. This led to a feud that went to court where Wilde’s homosexuality was revealed. Because homosexuality was illegal in Victorian England, he was sent to prison. After his release, Wilde went into exile in Paris and did publish the play from there. The original production was forced to close due to Wilde’s new notoriety and he wrote no more plays after that.