American playwright (1928-). One of the leading dramatists of his generation. Much of his most characteristic work is an absurdist commentary on American life. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1962)is generally regarded as his finest play. The play presents an all-night drinking bout in which a middle-aged professor and his wife verbally lacerate each other in brilliant colloquial language. Albee's major plays include:

• The Zoo Story (1959)
• The Death of Bessie Smith (1960)
• The Sandbox (1960)
• Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1962)
• The Ballad of the Sad Cafe (1963)
• Tiny Alice (1965),
• A Delicate Balance (1967)
• Seascape (1975)
• The Lady from Dubuque (1980)
• The Man Who Had Three Arms (1983)
• Marriage Play (1987)