CT's Long Wharf Theatre will close their 98-99 season with The Importance of Being Earnest, starring Christopher Evan Welch (Scapin) as Algernon, and Edward Hibbert (Gross Indecency) as Lady Bracknell. The production plays, April 30-June 6.

The production replaced the previously announced Much Ado About Nothing in the season -- according to Long Wharf spokesperson Kimberly Sewright, the move occurred, "because he [Artistic Director Doug Hughes] really wanted to work with Welch, and for Much Ado, he wanted to assemble dream cast -- which he didn't feel was possible in the amount of time available." Long Wharf is now scheduled to produce Much Ado in its 1999-00 season.

Hibbert came to Off-Broadway's attention in Jeffrey but is best known for his recurring role at the radio station on TV's "Frasier."

Wilde's comedy of romantic charades, Earnest deals with numerous cases of multiple hidden identities among the upper crust in fin de siecle England. Love, reputations, social standing and fortunes hang in the balance. All is expressed in Wilde's witty, epigrammatic dialogue that is the play's main claim to immortality.

For tickets or more information on the Long Wharf season, call (203) 787- 4282.