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CORVALLIS - Actress and playwright Kaiulani Lee will present a one-woman play on Sunday, Nov. 17, in Corvallis called "A Sense of Wonder" that explores the science, activism and passion of environmentalist Rachel Carson.

Performances are scheduled for 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Majestic Theater in downtown Corvallis.

The play is free and open to the public, sponsored by the Oregon State University Department of Philosophy and the OSU-based Spring Creek Project. Because of the sensitive and intense nature of the play, it may not be suitable for children younger than 13 years of age.

An award-winning Broadway actress and playwright, Lee created "A Sense of Wonder" as a tribute to Carson's life and work. She has performed the one-woman, two-act play throughout the U.S. and Canada for the past decade, to critical acclaim.

Lee wrote the play with the help of many of Carson's friends and colleagues. The veteran actress has appeared in numerous plays as well as on film and television. Her credits include roles on "Law & Order," "The Waltons," "The Equalizer," "The Fan," "Cujo" and "Compromising Positions."

Carson, who has been called the patron saint of the environmental movement, was a marine biologist, zoologist and poet. Her 1962 book, "Silent Spring," awakened the public to the potential negative effects of pesticides on the environment and has since sold more than a million copies.

The two acts of "A Sense of Wonder" focus on Carson's life during her initial battle with cancer and with the furor over "Silent Spring."

Carson, who died in 1964, was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.

The play is part of OSU's Ideas Matter lecture series, which in 2002 has the theme, "Rachel Carson: Legacy and Challenge." It is sponsored by the OSU Department of Philosophy, the Spring Creek Project, the Program for Ethics, Science and the Environment, the Hundere Endowment, the Horning Endowment, the University Honors College and ASOSU Lectures and Convocations.