Of Manners and Morality : Co-director of ‘Importance of Being Earnest’ says the title character’s quest for an upright life is relevant today.

A Noise Within’s winter repertory surges into high gear Saturday with the opening of Oscar Wilde’s 1894 comedy of manners, “The Importance of Being Earnest,” co-directed by Sabin Epstein and Art Manke. The play joins the repertory program of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” and Federico Garcia Lorca’s “Blood Wedding,” which have already opened.

“We’d considered doing ‘Earnest’ for a long time and kept setting it aside, because, ‘Oh, everyone’s doing it,’ ” says Manke. “Well, the reason everyone does it is that it’s a wonderful play.”

Manke is so enthusiastic, in fact, that he’s not only co-directing but co-starring, playing Algernon to Geoff Elliott’s titular Earnest. The two also serve as the theater’s artistic directors.

“Earnest is terribly, terribly earnest,” acknowledged Elliott. “He’s earnest in a society where people are not, a sweet and gentle man who believes in a moral code, who wants to live an upright life, and is constantly in search of new information. Also, he’s lost both his parents, so he’s looking for his identity. I think it’s relevant to 1993 in terms of society: ‘Who’s in/who’s out?’ and ‘Do I know the rules? Can I break them?’ ”

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Epstein and Manke have gone the spare route in terms of staging: The set is limited to one chair in the first act, two in the second act, and three in the third--all under the watchful eye of a large lavender-tinged portrait of playwright Wilde behind bars. The implied references are deliberate: Manke notes that in real life, Wilde was imprisoned for his homosexuality--tried for indecent behavior and incarcerated for two years.

“At the time, the phrase ‘to be earnest in love’ was to be attracted to the same sex,” the director explained. “The play is peppered with homosexual references.”

This production marks Elliott’s second go-round with “Earnest”: In 1990 he played Algernon at the California Theatre Center. “Art and I hadn’t gotten a chance to work together,” said the actor, enumerating the role’s merits. “And it’s a perfect play--like ‘Our Town.’ ”

He should know: Elliott’s A Noise Within credits include last season’s critically acclaimed co-direction of “Our Town” with his actress wife, Julia Rodriguez Elliott.

A native of Kentucky, Elliott--who spends “Earnest’s” off-nights appearing in the rep opposite his wife in “Blood Wedding”--attended the University of Kentucky and University of Florida (where he met his wife), and San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theatre.

“The benefit of a resident company and resident director is that we can skip over so much stuff,” Manke said. “People feel comfortable taking chances and risks, knowing they won’t be embarrassed.”

Where and When What: “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Location: A Noise Within, 234 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale. Hours: 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Performances alternate with “The Tempest” and “Blood Wedding.” Call theater for schedule. Closes Dec. 12. Price: $10 to $20. Call: (818) 546-1924.