Cast and crew at Hobnob Theater Company are pulling together another drawing room comedy by Oscar Wilde for opening night April 1 at The Butler Art Center.

The cast will bring to life “Lady Windermere’s Fan” which was the first in a succession of popular drawing room comedies by Wilde.

His witty dialogue and provocative storytelling weave the tale about good and bad, manners and morals, and forgiveness and love.

The four-act comedy was first performed in 1892 and involves the supposed infidelity of Lady Windermere’s husband and the potential partner, Mrs. Erlynne.

There is a party and compromising positions along with hilarity and revelation all wrapped up in Wilde’s commentary on morals.

In the Hobnob production, Casey Bowser of Center Township plays the role of Lord Windermere.

“My take on Lord Windermere is that he’s a very noble English gentleman. However, all characters are susceptible to life. Certain circumstances can develop and lead even the most refined person down a path of deception,” Bowser said.

“I think that’s where the play finds Lord Windermere, at a point of conflict,” he added.

Bowser, who is no stranger to the stage, said he enjoys the process of layering his characters.

“I want to create someone that’s interesting enough to keep the audience involved in the story,” he said.

Though his original take on the character was a bit one-dimensional, he is more than satisfied with the subtle nuances he’s woven into Lord Windermere now.

Bowser also said he embraces the intimacy of performing at the Butler Art Center.

“The venue is great. It’s different, but when it comes to performing a show the same rules apply. You want to act honestly and tell the story. The fact the space is so intimate should only work in our favor,” he said.

He said he is delighted to share the stage with his wife, Heidi Nicholls Bowser, who will play the role of Mrs. Erlynne.

“She is a woman of questionable background and character,” said Heidi Bowser.

“She arrives back into the society from which she was exiled years before. Nobody knows all of the details, but she is an intriguing character and almost everyone wants to know more,” she said.

The Mrs. Erlynne character becomes a pivotal figure in the show and brings the overall theme to the surface.

“Nobody is entirely good or bad. A bad woman can be good and visa versa. Morality can prove to be a fluid concept,” she said of her character.

She said she is thoroughly relishing the opportunity to portray Mrs. Erlynne. “She is captivating, glamorous, witty and poignant. It’s what actors call a meaty role,” she said. “Lucky actresses have played this part for over 120 years.”

She last took the stage with Hobnob in the production of “Tonight at 8:30.”

“We love performing these intimate ‘parlor’ plays at The Art Center. The space allows the audience to feel like they’re intimately involved in the action. It also allows the audience to pick up on the nuances of the dialogue,” she said.

“As with the Noël Coward play last year, Oscar Wilde has a wicked command of the English language and the nuances are important ... plus it’s really funny.”

Also starring in the show are Megan Flannery as Lady Windermere, Justin Anderson as Lord Darlington, Greg Crawford as Lord Augustus, and Katy Wayne as the Duchess of Berwick, as well as Phil Ball, Holly Furman, Erin Mossman Colkitt, Michelle Hayden, Thom Hilliard and Jake Kyriazis.