BY RICHARD SALZBERG

ON THURSDAY evening, October 4, at 8 p.m. Edward Albee will lecture at Webb Center at Old Dominion University; and on adjacent dates the ODU Theatre Program will inaugurate its 2001 / 2002 Season with special productions of two of the legend ary Playwright's one-act plays, The Zoo Story and The Sandbox.
     With his peerless career ongoing (and with three Pulitzer Prizes for his work, for A Delicate Balance, Seascape, and Three Tall Women), Mr. Albee is nonetheless quite familiar with the world of Academia, having taught a course in playwriting at the University of Houston for the last 14 years.
     In a recent conversation the witty and worldly artist was graciously willing to speak a bit about his work and his upcoming visit to Hampton Roads. Unavoidably, though, the dialogue had to begin with a mention of the preceding Tuesday's nightmare in New York.

Q: Before we begin to chat about playwriting, would you have any comment on Tuesday's tragedy?
A: Yes. I was actually emerging from the subway at Chambers Street at about 9 a.m., and I looked up to see the one of the towers on fire. . . It was all quite unbelievable, of course. . . I live about 6 blocks from there, so I returned to my home and watched what was happening in horror and disbelief from my own windows... Later in the day I had to walk to 34th Street in order to catch a train to leave the city. It was all very surreal, and still feels that way. And, unfortunately, I don't believe it's over yet.

Q: For a Playwright frequently associated with themes of optimism (albeit an eclectic sort of optimism), that is rather a sobering assessment.
A: Someone once asked Sam Beckett why his plays were so cynical and pessimistic, and he answered: "If I were a pessimist, I wouldn't write plays." Humanity is very durable. We have experienced great crises and tragedies before, and I'm certain we shall somehow get through this.

Q: How does one become a Playwright?
A: One doesn't "become" a playwright.