The PHS Drama Department Presents "The Odd Couple F.V." March 28-30

What happens when two totally opposite personalities are forced to live together? The result is Neil Simon’s comedy, The Odd Couple: Female Version. The play takes place in the apartment of Olive Madison, a news show producer living in 1980s New York. At the weekly Trivial Pursuit game, Olive and her friends joke, complain, and gossip about their various problems. Their friend, Florence Unger, is late to the weekly gathering, and they soon learn she is despondent about her husband’s sudden decision to ask for a divorce. Florence arrives in a desperation state, and Olive offers to take her in as she tries to straighten out her new life. The problem is, Olive is extremely sloppy and Florence is a neat freak. The battle is on as each seeks to change the other; throw in two romantic brothers named Manolo and Jesus, add a burnt dinner or two, and you have the recipe for a comic masterpiece!

The cast includes PHS students Audrey Dickson and Charity Jackson as “Flo”, Zulema Andrade and Erica Palad as “Olive”, Krystal Vasquez and Rozzalyn King as “Mickey”, Adriana Martinez and Nashley Javier as “Renee”, Jackie Martinez as “Vera”, Alyssa Tena and Lizeth Ayala as “Sylvie”, Jacob Walker as “Manolo”, and Cameron Dickson as “Jesus”. The backstage crew includes Stage Manager Annaliese Lesly, Asst. Stage Manager Elijah Perez, and Make-up Artist Aurora Martinez. The production crew includes PHS Drama Instructor Mr. Craig Caven serving as the director, the asst. director is Robert Ramos, and Ms. Virginia Tillery serves as the Costume/Props designer.

The Odd Couple: Female Version has a long and colorful history. In 1965, Neil Simon first presented this idea in The Odd Couple, a play about two divorced men named Felix and Oscar who were forced to live together under increasingly stressful circumstances. It became an instant hit on Broadway and was soon turned into a successful 1968 film starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. During the 1970s, it became a popular T.V. series starring Tony Randall and Jack Klugman. Simon decided to revisit the idea in the 1980s, but chose to examine it in a feminine perspective by turning the lead roles into women. Felix and Oscar became Flo and Olive. This lead to The Odd Couple: Female Version, which appeared on Broadway in 1985 with Sally Struthers and Rita Moreno taking over the main roles. Other T.V. incarnations include The New Odd Couple (1982-1983) with an African American cast featuring Ron Glass and Demond Wilson, and the current edition (also titled The Odd Couple) which started in 2015 starring Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon.

Call (559) 782-7279 for showtimes and details