ORADELL—Escape the cold and head to the sunny sand as Bergen County Players (BCP) raises the curtain on Seascape, which earned playwright Edward Albee his second Pulitzer Prize, in 1975. The limited run of five performances is directed by Dottie Fischer of Tenafly.
The show opens Jan. 10 and runs through Jan. 18 at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday nights at 8 and Sundays at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $30 on Fridays and Saturdays, and $28 on Sundays. They can be purchased at bcplayers.org, by calling 201-261-4200, or by visiting the box office at 298 Kinderkamack Road in Oradell during regular box office hours.
The play blends elements of comedy, drama, and absurdism, using a fantastic scenario to explore profound human truths. It opens on a deserted beach, where a recently retired couple is relaxing in the sun, chatting idly and then seriously about some of life’s biggest issues – like what they will do with their own lives now that the kids are grown.
Suddenly, out of the blue landscape, a pair of human-sized lizards emerges from the depths of the sea.
The play is not “farfetched, maybe nearfetched,” Albee joked when he spoke to New York Times Theatre Critic Mel Gussow right after the show opened at the Shubert Theatre in January 1975. It was the first premier that Albee had directed, and also the first time there were non-human characters in the cast.
Paraphrasing Albee: It’s a true-to-life story that could happen if the prehistoric fish at the bottom of the ocean evolve.
Albee is considered one of the most influential playwrights of the 20th century. His career spanned nearly a half-century from the late 1950s to just before his death in 2016, during which time he wrote nearly 30 plays. His best-known work, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, catapulted his reputation and he is now revered as one of America’s most provocative and fiercely witty playwrights.
Winner of multiple Pulitzer prizes, Tony Awards and a Kennedy Center Honor, his style is characterized by sharp dialogue, complex characters, and a willingness to push boundaries.
True to Albee’s signature style, there is brilliant dialogue in Seascape. “It’s funny, absurd and emotional, with elements of fantasy, philosophy and mortality,” according to BCP director Dottie Fischer.
“If you ask Albee what the play is about, his answer is ‘about two hours.’ In my opinion, it’s about life. Nothing happens and everything happens. Do we have a purpose in life and what makes life worth living?”
Fischer, a life member of BCP, is director of more than a dozen shows on the BCP stage, including Rabbit Hole, Guys and Dolls, August: Osage County, Beehive, Anything Goes, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, They’re Playing Our Song, Honk!, Seussical, the Musical, Other Desert Cities, and It Shoulda Been You.
She has choreographed a number of shows and is co-chair of the Workshop Committee to encourage new directors at BCP.
Fischer has assembled a talented cast for Seascape. Leslie Darcy of Oakland plays the role of Nancy – always looking for adventure. Her husband, Charlie, who prefers to do nothing but relax, is played by Owen Sheridan of Leonia. Katie Maul of Fair Lawn takes on the role of the female lizard Sarah. Her loyal partner Leslie is played by Ian Murphy of Dumont.
“There are definitely unique challenges in this play. The lizards and the humans spend a lot of time crawling on the stage – which can be physically daunting,” says Fischer. “Also the long monologues, the set which is built with no furniture, and the costumes – which need to be both convincing and comfortable.”
The production team is composed of Sharla Herbert (producer), Michele Roth (AD/stage manager), Gerard Bourcier (set design), Ellyn Essig (set decor), Terri Caust (costumes), Tina Ferrara (props), Allan Seward (lighting design), Howard Kerner (lighting operator), Rob DeScherer (sound design), Lisa Dahlborg (sound operator), Sharon Little (makeup), Richard Frant (photography) and Jennifer Bancks (member-at-large).
Post-show expert talkback
Bergen County Players will host a special post-show talkback with Jakob Holder, executive director of the Edward F. Albee Foundation and Edward Albee’s longtime personal assistant, following the Friday, Jan. 16, 8 p.m. performance of “Seascape.”
Holder, a playwright, has led the Edward F. Albee Foundation since 2013. Founded by Albee in 1967 after the success of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, the foundation operates “The Barn” in Montauk, Long Island, a residency that gives writers and visual artists time and space to work without disturbance.
The talkback is included in the ticket price. Information: bcpplayers.org.
Aiding Joan’s Joy
Bergen County Players will donate a portion of the 2025–2026 season’s proceeds to Joan’s Joy Foundation of Hillsdale, New Jersey, which honors the memory of 7-year-old Girl Scout Joan Angela D’Alessandro. The Foundation promotes child safety via programs and provides fun experiences for at-risk children. More info can be found at joansjoy.org.
— Bergen County Players