EVERETT — You know the story: Neurotic neat-freak nosey newswriter Felix Unger gets thrown out by his wife and moves in with his college buddy Oscar Madison, a sloppy, slovenly sportswriter who recently split the sheets with his ex-wife.
Oscar is a mess, but he loves life. Meanwhile, Felix’s purpose in life is devoting himself to others’ problems, whether they like it or not.
Neil Simon’s classic comedy “The Odd Couple” premiered on Broadway more than 50 years ago. Then in 1985, the playwright revised the show for a female cast.
You can see both versions on alternating nights through Oct. 8 at the Historic Everett Theatre, where the resident community theater group, the Outcast Players, is having fun with the productions.
The combined cast members are busy each night, either playing a couple of different characters or working as part of the stage crew. It’s the second time in the past five years that the theater has produced the alternating plays.
“It’s a blast,” actor Laura Shriner said. “So we had to do it again.”
In the original (male) version — which opens tonight — Justin Tinsely, a well-known regular with the Edmonds Driftwood Players, plays the uptight Felix. Curt Shriner, the manager of the theater, takes on the role of Oscar.
In the female version, which opens Friday, Florence Unger is played by Laura Shriner, who met her husband Curt during a 1998 production of “It’s A Wonderful Life” on the same stage. Olive Madison is played by Sam Samano, who has community theater credits in Everett and Monroe.
Other cast members include Tom Guerre, Carolyn Agee, Leslie Foley, Randy Yamanaka, Scott Freshman, Cheryl Phillips, David Goss-Grubbs and Yvonne Williams.
Oscar hosts poker games at his apartment, while Olive invites her friends over for games of Trivial Pursuit. Oscar’s neighbors, the Pigeon sisters in the original show, are replaced by the Olive’s neighbors, the Costazuela brothers, in the female version.
“But there aren’t as many similar lines in the plays as you might guess,” Laura Shriner said. “Curt and I have been so busy with running the theater and building the sets that we haven’t had time to run lines with each other anyway.
“Curt played Felix the last time around. He’s better now that he’s typecast as Oscar. He likes to make a mess. I’m a bit like Florence because I’m a bit of a clean freak. Either way, these characters are just fun.”
Both casts are working hard and looking forward to opening night, she said.
“We have a commitment to community theater at the Historic Everett Theatre,” Curt Shriner said. “John and Idamae Schack, who saved this old theater from the wrecking ball (and funded many other arts projects in Everett), wanted it available for amateur shows. We promise to always provide that.”
If you go
“The Odd Couple” will be presented by the Outcast Players at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 8 at the Historic Everett Theatre, 2911 Colby Ave.
The male version is on stage Sept. 21, 23 and 29 and Oct. 1, 5 and 7. The female version is set for Sept. 22, 24, 28 and 30 and Oct. 6 and 8.
Tickets are $12 and are available online at www.historiceveretttheatre.org or by phoning the box office at 425-258-6766.
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