DOWAGIAC — In downtown Dowagiac, two men, wearing intricate, Victorian inspired outfits, have been sitting across from each other, night after night, trading quick, witty barbs.

While the scene may be strange, it is actually a part of a new play coming to Dowagiac’s Beckwith Theatre.

The Beckwith Theatre will be showing “The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People” on the weekends of July 27-29 and Aug. 3-5. Friday and Saturday performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. Sunday matinees will begin at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15. The play is sponsored by Imperial Furniture and Dr. Katie Marshall of Southwest Vision Center.

There will be an opening night wine reception on July 28 sponsored by Lake Michigan Vintners. There will be a second Friday beer tasting on Aug. 3 sponsored by Greenbush Brewing Company.

“The Importance of Being Earnest” is one of playwright Oscar Wilde’s most famous satirical plays, in which the protagonists create fictitious identities to escape burdensome social obligations in Victorian England. Since its premier in 1895, the play has been performed countless times in all levels of theater, but is only now coming to Dowagiac.

Directors of the play Jack Gannon and Ryan Murray said they were excited to bring the play to life at the Beckwith.

“We like to balance out our season,” Gannon said. “We like to do dramas, comedies and maybe a musical. We’ve had a lot of strong dramas this season, so we were looking for a comedy. ‘The Importance of being Earnest’ was written in 1895, so it has withstood the test of time.”

Murray added that he is a fan of the play and thinks that it can appeal to a wide array of audiences.

“I think this is an unusual play for us to do,” he said. “I think it is something that everyone should give a try, as they might not be intrigued by just the title of it. They just have to trust us that it is very funny and entertaining and not at all offensive or uncomfortable.”

Despite their excitement about directing one of the world’s most famous comedies, the pair of directors said they have faced challenges along the way. For Gannon, the play’s greatest strength — its quick wit — also posed the greatest challenge to both him as a director and to the actors playing the lead characters.

“It is a very funny play, but it is so fast paced,” Gannon said. “[The actors] have to talk very fast to keep the play going and keep that wit. … I’m very lucky that I have a cast that is very talented and is able to pull this off.”

Despite the challenges, Gannon and Murray said they believe the play has come together well and that they believe the play will charm an audience. Both added that they hope the public will turn out to enjoy the play.

“We want people to laugh,” Gannon said. “And maybe, like Oscar Wilde intended for his audience, people will examine themselves in the satire of the play.”