Baldwin Wallace University’s Department of Theater and Dance begins this semester’s spotlight series with “Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde” by Moises Kaufman.  

Directed by Andrew Nogasky, the play portrayed the trials while blending historical fact with courtroom drama and narration of the historically renowned playwright being accused of ‘gross indecency’ for having explicit relations with another male. 

Chloe Cyr, a senior BFA acting major said, “It’s about three different trials of Oscar Wilde where he essentially, takes somebody to court, and then everything goes exactly the opposite he plans to go…the entire play is centered around what happens in these trials and what the verdict ends up being, and how this affects his career and his relationships,”  

The narrative follows a courtroom in 1895, where Wilde decides to prosecute the Marquess of Queensbury, the father of Lord Alfred Douglas, affectionately known as “Bois,” for libel, after the Marquess publicly accuses him of sodomy. As Wilde’s trial unfolds, evidence from his literary works including “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” becomes central to the proceedings, complicating his defense. Despite warnings from friends like Frank Harris, Wilde opts to face charges head-on, leading to a public humiliation that results in his prosecution for homosexuality. 

Andy Nogasky, chair of the acting and directing studies department and director of “Gross Indecency,” said the play is a “warning and call to action.” 

“There are people who for good or for bad, knowing, or unknowing, use words like ‘morality’ as cudgels to hurt those not part of the mainstream,” Nogasky said. 

Nogasky said he wanted to make sure this play was not a “museum piece.” 

“Yes, set in Victorian times, and yes, using Victorian language, but I think that we have a lively, fun cast that expresses a lot of what it’s like to be a person today. The set, and some things that we’re doing on set, are hopefully going to awaken people to see that this is for today.” Nogasky said.  

“Directorially, I want to make sure that it’s not just a slow descent into something that’s too sad. There’s humor here. This is about Oscar Wilde, who’s one of the wittiest people that has ever lived,” Nogasky said. 

Kyle Arzaga, a senior BFA acting major, played Oscar Wilde . Upon receiving a callback for the role, he said he felt very “confident and fulfilled.” 

“The final product of historical fact, plus courtroom dramas, plus narration by weird liminal beings, it comes out to something that I don’t know if I have the words to describe, but regardless of having words to describe it, I still adore it,” Lin Kohne, a junior BFA acting major, said. 

Kohne played the role of Narrator Three which represented one of the foremen of the jury who condemns that the Marquess of Queensbury is innocent, as well as Frank Harris, who is a fellow writer friend of Wilde, Antonio Mickey, a masseuse who accesses Wilde of being a homosexual man, and Charles Parker, who is one of the men Wilde had explicit relations with. 

Kohne said while it was at first switching from different roles, it was helpful gaining prior experience from being in BW’s “Secret in the Wings” and that there’s been improvement with each rehearsal. 

“I’m really glad that I’m getting the experience playing this role because it makes me feel seen in a way as an actor that Andy [Nogasky] chose to cast me as somebody who could play different roles,” Kohne said. 

David Keller, a sophomore BFA acting major, said that it’s been a bit of a challenge, especially because every single person in the cast plays multiple roles. 

“It’s my first time doing anything like this. I’ve understudied in the past, but this is my first time doing that for multiple different roles,” Keller said. 

Danny Wall, a sophomore BFA acting major, played the role of Narrator One, which portrayed the role of news reporters, one of Oscar Wilde’s best friends, an auctioneer, and Wilde’s brother, as well as introducing reference dialogues and books. 

Wall said that being in the play has been a unique experience, stretching his acting abilities. 

“I’ve done shows that involve different dialects, but having to go in-depth for all of these different people that I am playing has been an amazing challenge for me,” Wall said. 

Kohne said that this play is “very relevant to a lot of problems going on in the world right now,” most especially with the government and laws and bills being passed to withhold rights from certain individuals, including those in the queer community, women, and people of color. 

This production ran from October 2 – October 6 in the Kleist Black Box Theatre.