Opening Valentine’s Day, the Community Players of Concord present Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple – The Female Version. This is Simon’s own 1985 adaptation of his fabulously popular play about two friends who really shouldn’t live together but decide to give it a try.
Here, it’s Olive Madison who is the easy going, sloppy divorcee who agrees to take in Florence Unger, her high strung, ultra fastidious friend, after Florence’s husband announces he wants a divorce. Olive and Florence regularly gather with four female friends to play Trivial Pursuit, while the amorous Spanish upstairs neighbors, the Costazuela Brothers, keep the hilarity going.
Vicky Sandin of Nashua directs a seasoned cast in this quick witted and extremely funny play. The two lead actors have played their parts before: Ursula Minich Boutwell of Gilford played the kind but ultimately exasperated-to-the-point-of-rage Olive in 2012 with the Winnipesaukee Playhouse, while Heather Jacques of Newbury played the fabulously neurotic Florence in 2019 with Sunapee Kearsarge Intercommunity Theatre.
Chris Demers of Concord and Matt McGonagle of Gilford are comedy gold as the Costazuela brothers; both remarkably tall and naturally funny, these two are well known to New Hampshire theatre audiences for their comedic timing and physicality.
Rounding out the cast as Olive and Florence’s supportive but quirky band of friends are Ellen Burger and Erin Reinhard of Concord, Nancy Rosen of Dunbarton, and Kendra West-Senor of Warner.
The Odd Couple is one of four Neil Simon shows the Community Players are presenting this season to honor America’s most celebrated playwright, who passed away in 2018.
Performances are at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St., on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults or $18 for juniors and seniors, with a $2 per ticket discount for purchases before Wednesday.
As a special offer, contact David Murdo to buy an equal number of tickets for this show and for the May 1 through 3 production of Barefoot In The Park and tickets cost only $15 each. Tickets and information available at communityplayersofconcord.org or by contacting Murdo at nhdm40@comcast.net or 344-4747.
