CWC opens regular theater season with Neil Simon classic

Central Wyoming College is opening its regular theater season with The Odd Couple, the Neil Simon classic comedy about a pair of mismatched roommates with 7:30 p.m. performances on Oct. 17, 18, 19 and 20 and an Oct. 21 matinee at 2:30 p.m.

 
Though the play and later the spinoff movie and television series were prominent in American popular culture for more than a decade, CWC students cast to play the roles were only vaguely familiar with the show, said CWC Director Mike Myers.
 
“It’s good that our students are going to be able to become familiar with it,” he said. “It’s a classic and very funny.”
 
Myers has cast Patrick Bergen to play Oscar Madison, a recently divorced sportswriter who can best be described as a slob, and Aaron King has the role of Felix Ungar, the fastidious, hypochondriac news writer whose wife announces the end of their 12-year marriage.
 
Worried that Felix is despondent and contemplating suicide, Oscar invites him to move into his New York City apartment and the comedy begins.
 
With rehearsals well underway, the students love the show and the Simon script. “Now they have great admiration for him,” Myers said. “Simon is the most successful American playwright in history.”
 
Playing Oscar and Felix’s four poker buddies are Zedikiah Mills as Speed, Ted Haworth as Roy, Rustin Burr as Murray the cop, and new actor Tony Gamble is Vinnie.  Cast as the Pigeon sisters are Shanelle Anderson and Taylor Stagner.
 
Myers selected The Odd Couple which has predominately male roles to run opposite of The Magadeln Whitewash, an Irish drama that has mainly female characters. Magadeln is staged in December.
 
The Theater Department is selling season tickets (adult single: $25, youth/senior: $20) for admission into The Odd Couple, The Magdalen Whitewash, and the spring music Hair. Individual tickets are $8 for adults and youth and senior tickets are $6. Tickets may be ordered online at www.tickets.cwc.edu or by calling 855-2002.