Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde
Directed by Sarah Merkey
Stage Manager Wendy Brinker
Feb. 8 & 15, 2026 at 2:00PM
Cory Baker (Frank Harris), Ingrid Biederman (Constance, Narrator #7), Doug Browell (Marquess of Queensbury), Jennifer Chimbidis (Narrator #6, Prostitute, Lady Brandon, Mrs. Ellen Grant), Kelsey Demel (Charles Gil), Lynn Eitam (Speranza, Clerk of the Arraignments #1 & #2), Allison Fagan (Frank Lockwood, Queen Victoria), Ro Frazee (Narrator #4, Landlord, William Parker), Patrick Goldman (Edward Carson), Brian Henry (Professor Taylor), Jeff Kemeter (Narrator #5, Wright, Claridge), Joel Mamlin (Narrator #1, Fred Atkins), Chelsea Martins (Moises Kaufman), Jim McCullough (George Bernard Shaw, Willie, Antonio Migge), Alex Motsinger (Foreman #1, Alfred Wood), Nicholas Norton (Charles Parker), Alex Nyamohanga (Narrator #3, Hotel Manager), Oliver Powell (Lord Alfred Douglas (Bosie)), Aaron Schrein (Richards, Auctioneer, Foreman #2, Police), Kris Stage (Mavor, Narrator), David Tull (Oscar Wilde), Molly Watson (Judge, Narrator #8), Phil Wells (Sir Edward Clarke), & Bailey Weyand (Narrator #2, Mary Applegate)
In early 1895, the Marquess of Queensberry, the father of Wilde's young lover, Lord Alfred Douglas, left a card at Wilde's club bearing the phrase "posing sodomite." Wilde sued the Marquess for criminal libel. The defense denounced Wilde's art and literature as immoral, leading the prosecuting attorney to declare, "It would appear that what is on trial is not Lord Queensberry but Mr. Wilde's art!" In the end Queensberry was acquitted, and evidence that had been gathered against Wilde compelled the Crown to prosecute him for "gross indecency with male persons." With Wilde's arrest, his hit plays running in London's West End were forced to close, and Wilde was reduced to penury. A second trial ended in a hung jury with Wilde's impassioned defense of "the love that dare not speak its name," prompting a third trial. In the third and decisive trial, Wilde was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment at hard labor. He was separated forever from his wife and children, and wrote very little for the rest of his life. In addition to Wilde, Douglas and Queensberry, characters ranging from Queen Victoria to London's rent boys, to a present-day academic are assembled to explore how history is made and how it can be so timely revisited in the theatre.
Purchase tickets online or call 614-392-7444.
- Now thru Feb. 15 - Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde
- Feb. 22 - Audition - Forever Plaid
In the Spotlight
Announcing Season 64!
We are thrilled to announce our 2026-2027 season!
In order of performance:
- The Sunshine Boys, by Neil Simon, directed by Michael Fusco – opens Saturday, September 12, 2026
- The Birds, by , directed by Luke Bovenizer – opens Friday, October 23, 2026
- Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare, directed by Kyle Smith – opens Saturday, December 5, 2026
- Perfect Wedding, by , directed by Nathan Bashaw – opens Friday, January 29, 2027
- Stage Kiss, by , directed by Kate Tull – opens Friday, March 19, 2027
- Catch Me If You Can, by , directed by Bethany Schoeff – opens Friday, May 7, 2027
As the season begins to be publicized, you may notice some changes from past seasons
- Responding to audience and to member interest in earlier curtain times for evening performances, our Friday and Saturday performances will start at 7:30 pm, instead of 8:00 pm.
- Responding to the popularity of Sunday matinees, we have scheduled Sunday performances for each of the three weekends of the production run (with exceptions noted in the next bullet). The theatre must maintain eight-performance runs hence there is some adjustment to schedules to accommodate this.
- There are no performances on the first nights of Rosh Hashanah and Hanukkah, Easter Sunday and Mother's Day.
- The theatre has suspended its Thursday pay-what-you-want preview night initiative. The theatre is not paying the extra performance royalty for this series, so there will be no audience. The Thursday of technical week is available as a final rehearsal opportunity.
More details will be coming soon!
Recent News
- Spotlight: Announcing Season 64!
- Feb 01: Announcing the Cast of Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson...
- Feb 01: New Board Leadership *UPDATED*
- Jan 06: Special Call for Nominations
- Jan 05: A Farewell Message from Outgoing President Michael Day
- See all Curtain Players news. >
Thanks to Our Supporting Organizations:
