Walt Willey Stars in The Odd Couple at the Surflight Theatre 10/21-11/1

Daytime Television's Walt Willey stars in Neil Simon's sometimes subtle, sometimes overt, always hilarious study of two friends - total opposites (The Odd Couple) - who become roommates.

Neil Simon's classic comedy The Odd Couple is one of Broadway's funniest. Felix has just broken up with his wife. With nowhere else to go, he is urged by his good friend, Oscar, to move in with him. Oscar is a disorganized, casual, incurable slob and Felix is an uptight, neat and neurotic control freak. Slowly but surely, the pair begin to drive each other crazy with their various idiosyncrasies, and things go from bad to worse when Oscar sets up a double-date with a pair of British sisters. Still, in this hilarious tale of mismatched buddies they'll learn that love, trust, and friendship are more important than living in different worlds.

Walt Willey (Jackson Montgomery on ABC's All My Children) played Felix in July in a community theatre he opened in his home town. He looks forward to performing the opposite role of Oscar in this production directed by James A. Bond, also starring David Edwards as Felix. After numerous Off-Broadway productions, including "Dust Off" with Dan Lauria, and stints on NBC's Another World as "James La Russo", and "Joe Novak" on ABC's Ryan's Hope, Walt Willey joined the cast of ABC's All My Children in 1987, originating the role of lawyer "Jackson Montgomery". He was a People's Choice Award nominee in 1992, and was named All My Children's 'Most Valuable Player' by Soap Opera Update's Reader's Poll. He was again awarded this honor in 1993. Willey regularly hosts charity fundraisers, and developed the 'Willey World Endowment Fund', benefiting children's charities. Mr. Willey co-hosted Live! with Regis and Kelly alongside his former All My Children co-star Kelly Ripa, and the Daytime Emmy Awards with Susan Lucci.

The Odd Couple, in all its forms, is truly a popular culture phenomenon. Simon's wildly successful play ran from 1965 to 1967. In the summer of 1967, the play opened at the Ivoryton Playhouse starring the controversial radio and TV comedian Henry Morgan. In 1968, the play was made into a successful film starring Walter Matthau as unkempt sports writer Oscar Madison and Jack Lemmon as anal-retentive commercial photographer Felix Unger. Today, Felix and Oscar are known to millions from the 1970-75 ABC TV series based on the play which starred Tony Randall and Jack Klugman and can still be seen in syndication.??Simon was inspired to write the play when he saw his brother Danny Simon and theatrical agent Roy Gerber living together after recent divorces. Danny, also a writer, took the first crack at the play, but later handed over the idea to Neil. The original Broadway show, won several Tony Awards, including Best Play.

Surflight Theatre is the only professional theatre in Beach Haven, Ocean County, NJ. Surflight has been producing ‘Broadway at the Beach' since 1950. Full scale productions of musicals and play run from April through December.

The production runs from October 21 - November 1.

Call Box office for tickets on: 609 492 9477 or visit http://www.surflight.org/Default.htm

 

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