OSCAR WILDE, REWIRED FOR NOW

David Zippel brings star power
and modern snap to Palm Springs

Tony-winner for Liza’s at the Palace, David Zippel—one of Broadway and Hollywood’s sharpest comic lyricists (City of Angels, Disney’s Hercules & Mulan)—is bringing his wit and theatrical instincts to Palm Springs as the Artistic Director of the new rePLAY series at the Plaza Theatre, which recently re-opened after a $34-million renovation.

For the series’ inaugural installment, Zippel adapts and directs Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, relocating the beloved farce to present-day New York City and East Hampton. Designed as a “script-in-hand” event, rePLAY celebrates virtuoso comedy and top-tier talent in an intimate, spontaneous format. And when we say “top-tier,” the cast features Christine Ebersole, Isabella Coben, Judy Kaye, Priscilla Lopez, Jess Salgueiro, Ryan Spahn, Michael Urie, and Lillias White, bringing Wilde’s razor-sharp wit to life with style and authority.

Stage and Cinema spoke with Zippel about modernizing Wilde, the musicality of comic timing, and his vision for turning Palm Springs into a destination for world-class theatre.

Jason Mannino: How did the rePLAY series come to be?

David Zippel: John Bolton, who runs the Plaza, was looking for programming ideas. I thought this would be a fun way to benefit the theatre—it’s such a beautiful space and so vital to the community. The idea was to take classic comedies and bring in “starry,” terrific actors to Palm Springs to create unique, one-of-a-kind evenings.

Why launch the series with The Importance of Being Earnest?

It’s partly the cast and partly because the material is just terrifically funny. In this version, it becomes “NYC fashionistas vs. East Hampton preppies.” We have Michael Urie as Algy, and the household staff has been reimagined: the butler is now a Hispanic cleaning lady played by Tony winner Priscilla Lopez, and the governess is a Jamaican nanny played by Lillias White. We even have Judy Kaye as Reverend Diane Cannon, which adds a little same-sex flirtation to the mix.

Why adapt Wilde instead of presenting the play as written?

When Wilde wrote it more than a century ago, it was a modern play—full of references that resonated immediately with its audience. We don’t experience it that way anymore; now it feels like a period piece. I thought that if I could tweak it slightly—without competing with Wilde—I could restore that sense of immediacy and fun.

What does setting the play in modern New York and East Hampton reveal?

It shows that the social tropes Wilde skewered haven’t changed at all. Lady Bracknell becomes Mrs. Bernbaum Bracknell, played by Christine Ebersole. Instead of an omnibus crash in Oxford Circus, there’s a pedicab crash in Columbus Circle. The settings change, but the vanity stays exactly the same.

What did you refuse to change?

I started from the premise that the play is perfect. I only changed what was strictly necessary to bridge the time gap—modernizing a few expressions, like turning “old boy” into “bro,” so the engine keeps running at today’s speed.

What’s the biggest trap when modernizing a masterpiece like Earnest?

Trying to do too much. You have to respect the DNA of the writing. If you over-adjust, you lose the music of Wilde’s language.

As a lyricist, how does your musical ear affect spoken comedy?

Language is language. I think of myself as a musical dramatist, so I hear cadence everywhere. Comic timing has rhythm—it’s no different from writing a score.

What separates “funny acting” from great comedic acting?

Reality. Even in a highly stylized play, there’s a specific tone that has to be honored. Great comedic acting comes from understanding the character and the precise irony Wilde built into the text.

What do you love about the script-in-hand format?

It’s instant gratification. World-class actors get to play roles they’ve always wanted to tackle without a massive time commitment. And, frankly, everyone appreciates an excuse to come to Palm Springs.

With a cast this strong, what’s your job as director?

To curate brilliance. I guide them through the text, protect the tone, and help them be the best versions of themselves on that stage.

What do you want audiences to walk away with?

An appreciation for Oscar Wilde’s genius. This play has more quotable, laugh-out-loud lines than almost anything ever written.

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photo of David Zippel by Michael Childers

The Importance of Being Earnest (in New York)
adapted & directed by David Zippel
part of the rePLAY Series
benefiting the Plaza Theater
The Plaza Theatre, 128 South Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs
February 6, 2026 at 7:30
February 7, 2026 at 2 and 7:30
for tickets, visit Plaza Theatre

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Up Next:

• The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife (March 13–14)
  by Charles Busch
  Directed by Philip Wm. McKinley
  Featuring Charles Busch, Sebastian Arcelus, and Alix Korey

• Better Late (May 1–2)
  by Larry Gelbart (His Final Play)
  Directed by Susan Stroman
  Featuring Jason Alexander, Lucie Arnaz, Dan Bucatinsky, and Richard Kind

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The Plaza Theatre sits in the middle of downtown Palm Springs and is once again an active performance venue. Originally opened in 1936 with the premiere of George Cukor’s Camille, starring Greta Garbo, the theatre later became a hub for film, live performance, and nationally broadcast radio shows featuring figures such as Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Jack Benny. The Plaza’s restoration—spearheaded by the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre Foundation, the City of Palm Springs, and Architectural Resources Group—returns the beloved venue to its original Art Deco grandeur while preparing it for a new era. Now fully restored, the Plaza resumes its place as a home for live theatre, music, comedy, and film.