Alien archeologists have landed in suburbia to learn about sex and other human experiences.

That’s the theme behind Constance Congdon’s 1989 award-winning comedy, “The Tales of the Lost Formicans,” opening at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the Stevens Building’s Players Theatre.

NIU’s School of Theater and Dance will run the show through Sunday, and again Tuesday through Feb. 25.

Hoping to find out more about life here on earth, the aliens study an average, and many times wacky, middle-class family. Their findings leave them misguided and the process of finding the answers provides a comedic view of life in America.

“It’s a pretty wacky set of circumstances,” said David Booth, the school’s marketing director. “They deal with each other in ways that could be considered taken to the extreme.”

The play is directed by Lynn Ann Bernatowitz, an award—winning director from Pittsburgh who now works in and around Chicago.

Works she has directed include the critically acclaimed productions “Candida” and “A Moon for the Misbegotten.”

Bernatowitz enjoyed the play’s comedy.

“‘Sex and Aliens’, what else could you ask for,” Bernatowitz said.

Students in the School of Theater and Dance chose “The Tales of the Lost Formicans” as part of their end of the millennium celebration highlighting women’s contributions to theater.

“The Tales of the Lost Formicans” has received plenty of acclaim over the years.

A.J. Esta of Drama-Logue said it was “one of the best and most imaginative plays of recent years” and went on to call Congdon “one of the best playwrights America has produced.”

It’s also drawn acclaim from major national publications.

“If not the best new play of recent years surely this is the most imaginative,” said William Henry in Time magazine.

The play does deal with some serious issues, such as Alzheimer’s disease, but Booth still recommends it for children.

“It’s a lot of fun and humorous,” Booth said.