Topic: Oscar Wilde

Roxy stages ‘Picture of Dorian Gray’

By Christine Anne Piesyk | October 9, 2007 |

Pulling a story from classic literature, the Roxy Regional Theater will open The Picture of Dorian Gray on Wednesday, October 12. The production will run through October 27. It has been adapted from the Oscar Wilde novel for this stage by John McDonald.

Written originally as a story by Oscar Wilde, it was first published as a feature in Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine in 1890 and subsequently published as a novel in 1891.

The story of Dorian Gray is the story of a society figure, a young man whose portrait is painted by artist Basil Hallward, a man obsessed with his subject. Hallward sees his subject as an inspiration for a new mode of art. Gray then meets Lord Henry Wotton, a friend of the artist, and becomes enthralled with Wotton’s hedonistic life view, setting the stage of a quest for eternal youth and beauty.

As Dorian cries out his desire to be perennially young, his wish is granted and his life spirals into a whorl of debauchery, self-indulgence and a pursuit of all things youthful.

It is the portrait that ages, becoming scarred with each of Dorian’s depraved acts. Hidden in the recesses of the attic, the portrait ages, is savaged to its very soul with every sin committed. «Read the rest of this article»

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