Photo Flash: SEASCAPE Plays At American Century Theater Through 8/22

Part domestic drama, part satire, part science fiction and part philosophy debate, SEASCAPE tells the story of Nancy and Charlie, a troubled American couple facing tensions in their relationship as they contemplate retirement.

Their visit to an East Coast beach is enlivened by the appearance of another couple, Leslie and Sarah, who join them in wide-ranging discussions of trust, communications, human progress, evolution, empathy and more. The perspective of Leslie and Sarah is especially interesting, because they are large, scaly, humanoid sea-lizards, highly-evolved and considering a life-altering move from the ocean to the land. Funny, whimsical, complex, and challenging, the play defies conventional labels, and creates an evening of constant surprises, not the least of which is that it shows its famously acerbic and pessimistic playwright in an upbeat and playful mood.

"Seascape," says Artistic Director Jack Marshall, "is one of Albee's best and most honored, but too seldom produced, like all of our shows. Best of all, there's really no other play like it, by Albee or anyone else."

"We were overdue for an Albee play," says Marshall. "We hadn't produced one since A Delicate Balance in 1998 [winning the company its first Helen Hayes Award, for the supporting performance of Rena Cherry Brown] and Seascape was the inspired choice of Associate Artistic Director Steven Scott Mazzola."

Photo Credit: Micah Hutz Photography