Novato Theater Company to Present Female THE ODD COUPLE, 2/14-3/9

Unger and Madison are at it again! Florence Unger and Olive Madison, that is, in the female version of Neil Simon's hilarious contemporary comic classic. Instead of the poker party that begins the original version, Ms. Madison has invited the girls over for an evening of Trivial Pursuit. And the Pidgeon sisters have been replaced by the two Constanzuela brothers. But the hilarity remains the same in director Mark Shepard's delightful production, February 14 through March 9 at the Novato Theater Company, 5420 Nave Drive in Novato.

Neil Simon's The Odd Couple has been a comic staple since it first appeared in New York in 1965. It has been a movie, a TV sitcom, an animated cartoon, and is rumored to be remade as a new sitcom later this year, with Matthew Perry starring as Oscar Madison.

The Odd Couple premiered on Broadway in March 1965 and closed in July 1967 after 964 performances. Directed by Mike Nichols, the cast starred Walter Matthau as Oscar and Art Carney as Felix. The production gained Tony Awards for Walter Matthau, Best Actor (Play), Best Author (Play), Best Direction of a Play, and Best Scenic Design (Oliver Smith), and was nominated for Best Play.

In 1985, Neil Simon revised The Odd Couple for a female cast. The Female Odd Couple was based on the same story line and same lead characters, now called Florence Unger and Olive Madison. The Female Odd Couple opened in June 1985 and closed in February 1986 after 295 performances. The cast starred Sally Struthers and Rita Moreno as Florence (Felix) and Olive (Oscar.)

CURTAIN TIMES

Preview, Thursday, Feb. 13: 7:30pm

Thursdays: 7:30pm
Fridays: 8:00pm
Saturdays: 8:00pm
Sundays: 2:00pm

$25 Adults, $12 Children (12 yrs. and under), Seniors $22 - online ticketing atwww.novatotheatercompany.org; call (415) 883-4498 for questions/information only. No credit cards accepted at the theater box office for walk ups, cash or checks only. Open Seating