Albee's The Play About the Baby-Sarasota's FST

Edward Albee's The Play About the Baby

Opens Florida Studio Theatre's
Edgy and Adventurous Stage III Series

 

 

Edward Albee's The Play About the Baby opened FST's Stage III 2006 season last week.  The Stage III series, which made its debut last year, is geared towards producing plays that are edgy.  Billed as a series for the "adventurous theatergoer," Stage III was started with the idea of providing a series for the patron who liked to be challenged.

 

With an unconventional plot, adult language and nudity, The Play About the Baby is not for the faint of heart.  "I wanted something that would epitomize edgy theatre," said Richard Hopkins, FST's Artistic Director on the reason he selected Albee's absurdist comedy.

 

The story of The Play About the Baby is relatively simple.  A young couple has a baby.  An older couple says they don't.  Things quickly turn illogical and a bit frightening, especially for the young couple.  There is a strong element of pain for them, as they must grapple with the older couple's insistence that they did not have a baby.  Bennett likens this aspect of Albee's story to his debut work, The Zoo Story.  "Neither kindness and cruelty achieve anything on their own," says director Peter Bennett.  "But combined, they teach us about emotions."

 

As in most of Albee's previous works, the most important focus of the show is on relationships.  Whether children to parents, parents to children or lover to lover, Albee has long been fascinated with what makes our most intimate connections work – or, in the case of many of his plays, not work.

 

Biographer Mel Gussow, who profiled the three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author in Edward Albee – A Singular Journey, speculated that Albee's early life was to be the most profound influence on his writing.  Adopted at an early age by millionaire couple Reed and Frances Albee, the young Edward never wanted for any material possession, but often lacked a traditional support system.

 

"His feeling about adoption was to become one of the most important factors in his life," he wrote.  Albee continually asked himself questions about his origins: How did his parentage impact his talents?  Who he became? Albee not only asked himself these questions, he asked all of us the same thing through his plays, challenging the views we hold about our society, our relationships and ourselves. 

 

But while The Play About the Baby is challenging, it doesn't answer many questions.  "Good theatre doesn't answer questions," says Bennett.  "It asks them."  Bennett likens the experience of watching The Play About the Baby to looking at a painting.  "It's very interactive, just like visual art.  To look at an abstract painting, you have to work a bit.  The same is true of this play.  Everyone will take something from this play.  And everyone will take away something unique, something that is their own."  Lest anyone think the show is overly intellectual or above their heads, Bennett is quick to point that "it's very, very funny."

 

The cast of The Play About the Baby includes Kate Alexander (Woman), FST's Associate Director, and three FST newcomers: Michael Ellison (Boy), Anthony Newfield (Man) and Ashley West (Girl).  Marcella Beckwith designed the scenery, Nicole Wee designed the costumes and guest artist Martin Vreeland designed the lights. 

 

The Play About the Baby runs through February 17, 2006 in FST's Gompertz Theatre.  Single tickets are $29-32.  Subscriptions to the Stage III series – which also includes I Am My Own Wife and Hedwig & the Angry Inch range from $39-52.  Both may be purchased from the FST Box Office in person or by calling (941) 366-9000.

 

Plays in the Stage III series explore adult themes and issues.  They may not be suitable for all audience members.  The Play About the Baby contains adult content, adult language and nudity.

 

Known as Sarasota's Contemporary Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre was founded in 1973 by Jon Spelman.   

Florida Studio Theatre is grateful to the Greenfield Foundation Goldsmith Fund and Dennis and Graci McGillicuddy for being the season underwriters for the Stage III series; Watermark Magazine, the official media sponsor of the Stage III series; and Leila Gompertz and Steven Gompertz for co-producing The Play About the Baby.

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