Previews for the musical, a show known to cast-album collectors, began Dec. 12 at Off-Broadway's Irish Rep.

Ernest in Love has book and lyrics by Anne Croswell and music by Lee Pockriss.

The cast also features Annika Boras (as Gwendolyn Fairfax), Brad Bradley (Lane/Merriman), Kerry Conte (Alice/Effie), Katie Fabel (Cecily Cardew), Kristin Griffith (Miss Prism), Ian Holcomb (Algernon Moncrieff), Peter Maloney (Dr. Chasuble) and Curtains star Noah Racey (John "Jack" Worthing).

Ernest in Love is directed by IRT artistic director Charlotte Moore. Barry McNabb choreographs. Performances play to Jan. 31, 2010, at Irish Rep's Off-Broadway home at 132 W. 22nd Street.

Ernest in Love, according to Irish Rep notes, is "a sparkling and witty musical about social hypocrisy among the crème de la crème of Victorian England, is a faithful adaptation of Wilde's superb comic masterpiece, The Importance of Being Earnest — featuring all of its much-beloved characters. … The clever, tuneful score is the perfect complement to Wilde's incomparable wordplay and sharp witticisms."

The creative team will include set designer James Morgan; costume designer Linda Fisher; lighting designer Brian Nason; and musical director Mark Hartman.

Collaborators Pockriss and Croswell also penned the score the Broadway's Tovarich, another cult favorite known primarily today for its cast album, featuring original star Vivien Leigh.

Director Moore staged Irish Repertory's acclaimed revival of Finian's Rainbow during the company's 2004-05 season, and most recently directed Take Me Along, a musical adaptation of O'Neill's Ah, Wilderness!, winning a 2008 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical.

Performances play Wednesdays-Saturdays at 8 PM; plus 3 PM matinees on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays (with the following exceptions: no performances on Fridays, Dec. 25, 2009 or Jan. 1, 2010.).

Tickets are $65 and $55, and are available by calling (212) 727-2737. For more information visit www.irishrep.org.