Women Lead the Cast in FTE’s The Odd Couple (Female Version)

The Fredericksburg Theatre Ensemble will present Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple over the next two weekends. The show’s famous main characters, sloppy Oscar Madison and neatnik Felix Unger, will not be making an appearance downtown at 810 Caroline Street. In 1985, Simon revamped his 1960s classic to feature two female roommates, Olive (Madison) and Florence (Unger) The revised version retains Simon’s signature wit and hilarious comedic situations, while reflecting both the gender role swap and the passage of 20 years since the original staging.

FTE’s production manager, Melissa Hennessey, directs the show. She noted that the female version comes from a much different time for women, both on stage and in daily life, than the original classic. Simon drew the women in the revised show as complete characters with long-established friendships rather than as mere plot devices. According to Hennessey, “Olive says it best when she is giving it to Florence straight.” During an uncomfortable conversation, Florence replies "I thought you were my friend." Olive says, "I am. That's why I can talk to you like this."

Area theater veteran Collette Riddle plays messy Olive. She observes that “if Olive and Oscar met there would be instant attraction between them before they ended up driving each other crazy. They are literally the same person with different gender expressions. What would you do if you met yourself?” FTE newcomer Tammy Barboza brings Florence, Olive’s fastidious roommate, to life on stage. She describes Florence as a well-meaning person who needs work on her people skills. Olive and Florence could not be more different as people, notes Barboza, “yet the bond they share as friends is unbreakable.”

FTE will present The Odd Couple (Female Version) at the Allstate Community Theater in the 810 Caroline Street building in downtown Fredericksburg. Evening shows are on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 26-28 and June 2-3, with matinees on May 27 and June 4. General admission tickets are $20 and are available at fredericksburgtheatre.org.