KINGSTON, R.I. -- March 31, 2004 -- If you enjoy a comedy of manners, a mystery, and a love story, you can get all three by attending URI Theatre's production of An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde. The play will be performed in URI's Robert E. Will Theatre April 22 through 24 and April 28 through May 1 at 8 p.m. and April 25 at 5 p.m. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $10 for students, senior citizens and children.

Set in 1895 England, this witty, incisive play explores romance, marital relations, friendship and political intrigue. A femme fatale, Mrs. Cheveley, enters London society with plans that may create rifts between husband and wife and between two close friends. Despite gorgeous period costumes and witty language, the play resonates with a modern sensibility such as similarities to the insider trading scandals headlining today's newspapers.

Lively characters pepper an amusing, colorful, romantic play about moral values: how an error of judgment made early in one's career can come back to haunt, even ruin one's life some 20 years later. Can friendship and loyalty save our heretofore unblemished hero, Sir Robert Chiltern? Can his young and very principled wife, Gertrude, learn that love means accepting a spouse's weaknesses as well as his strengths? And will the dapper Lord Goring and the charming Mabel Chiltern ever say those tender three little words?

Wilde defines his characters with humor and detail and builds his story with compelling scenes. Under the glittering façade of London high society lie deeper truths about human nature. Wilde also offers true compassion and marvelous comedic insights into human behavior under pressure of exposure.

Bryna Wortman is the director, Cheryl deWardener the scenic designer; Marilyn Salvatore the costume designer; Christian Wittwer the lighting designer and Peter Nabut the sound designer.

For tickets, reservations or information please call the URI Theatre Box Office at 401-874-5843. For group sales, please call (401) 874-5922.