Marital drama is taking center stage in a new play in New Jersey, written by a Scotch Plains native.

"Satellites" is the story of an astronaut lost in space and presumed dead for seven years. Only to suddenly return to Earth and to the wife who believed she was widowed.

"It's interesting how she manages to ask herself, 'Is this something I still want? Is this something we still want together,'" says actress Ellyn Heald who plays the conflicted wife, Katherine Sparks.

The couple finds themselves at odds as they try to get re-acquainted and understand all that has transpired while they were apart.

"He left in one way and his expectations coming back are totally shifted," says Terrell Wheeler, who plays Capt. Mike Turner.

This is the first time "Satellites" has been staged. It is produced and performed at Premiere Stages, a nonprofit, professional theater company located on the campus of Kean University.

The two-character play was written by Erin Breznitsky, who grew up just miles from the theatre. This is the first time one of her plays has been given a full-fledged stage production.

"This is huge," says Breznitsky of seeing her work on stage after being selected through Premiere Stage's new play program, a competition to determine a play that will receive its first production. "In the world of this play, the two characters, Katherine and Mike, are really satellites orbiting each other."

"Satellites" runs through Sunday, July 30.