Seascape: Shore to Make You Think
November 29, 2018
The Allen Community College Theatre Department is presenting “Seascape” Thursday, Nov. 29, through Saturday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m. in the Allen Theater. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for students, and Allen students and faculty are admitted free with their ID.
“Seascape” is a dynamic, Pulitzer Prize winning play written in 1975 by Edward Albee that features a small cast of four.
Set on a beach somewhere in paradise, a middle-aged couple reminisce on their life together when suddenly, the couple is joined by a pair of sea creatures.
Sophomore Lindsey Temaat stars as Nancy, a middle-aged woman who is interested in exploring everything the world has to offer.
“This is my first lead role aside from the One Acts last year, so it has been a learning experience for me as far as time management and memorization. However, Tony [Piazza] and my cast mates have been very helpful through the process despite the short timeline,” Temaat said.
Austin Wickwire, a sophomore who has been very involved in the Allen theater department, plays Charlie, Nancy’s cynical husband who has given up on looking for more out of life.
“I’ve done a lot of plays with these people, aside from Carolyn. It’s been a lot of work but we’ve really become more of a family,” Wickwire said.
Freshman Carolyn Appleton shines in her first lead role as Sarah, a lizard woman who emerges from the sea with her husband, Leslie. Appleton agreed with Wickwire, adding that she liked the relationships she was able to form throughout the show.
“With such a small cast it is really easy to feel like a family. I’ve been able to build friendships through the show,” Appleton said. “I’ve been acting with Tony since my freshman year in high school, and I’ve been in Allen summer theater. It’s awesome to be back.”
While some like the family atmosphere of a small cast, it is a unique experience, even for acting veteran and third year Allen student, Judd Wiltse. He showcases his flexibility in both acting and physicality in Seascape, as a lizard man named Leslie.
“This play is definitely unique with such a small cast, but I’m kind of used to it because I did duets in forensics in high school,” said Wiltse. “I’ve never done a full play with four people. All of my cast mates are super talented. I have the least lines, so I respect them for taking on the larger workloads.”
SOME PEOPLE may seem confused by the surface themes of Seascape, but the cast has great insight into what this classic play truly touches on.
“When you go deeper into what is actually being said, it’s a very intellectual play,” said Wiltse. “At surface, the lizards come out of the ocean and a couple explains the nuances of life: evolution, existence, what makes someone happy… It is certainly worth a watch, and worth a reflection.”
Wickwire agreed, and joked that the show will hit home with a variety of audiences.
“The story is relatable if you’ve ever been in a long-term relationship, or if you’ve ever seen lizards come from the ocean. Then it’ll really get you,” Wickwire said.
“Seascape is relatable because the target audience is parents,” Temaat added. “It also draws a parallel to modern society and puts two conflicting views in front of an audience and shows how they work together despite their differences. This play will make you think, laugh, and maybe even cry. Come watch it.”
