THE ODD COUPLE
(THE FEMALE VERSION)
MINERS ALLEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER:
JANUARY 20- MARCH 8
L-R: Josh Levy, Emma Messenger and Damon GuerrasioRun to get tickets for Miners Alley Playhouse’s deliriously funny production of Neil Simon’s
THE ODD COUPLE (THE FEMALE VERSION.)
The Miners Alley Performing Arts Center’s production of “The Odd Couple (Female Version) is a delightful, thoroughly entertaining evening of theatre.
You may know that playwright Neil Simon is second only to Shakespeare as far as the number of plays being produced every year in this country. And if you loved the movie starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau and/or the television series starring Tony Randall and Jack Klugman, you’re gonna LOVE this one!
Award-winning director Warren Sherrill has cast the show impeccably.
Denver favorite Emma Messenger portrays neat-pin Florence Unger with a luminous performance that gives us as audience a chance to see her wide range of expressive emotions. Sheryl McCallum is brilliant in her performance of the role of Olive Madison, the sloppy, free-wheeling friend whose welcoming of Florence into her home in her time of need, backfires!
Candace Orrino, Adrian Egolf, Dana Hart Wright and Annie Dwyer make up the circle of ladies who bookend the show with exhilarating banter during their friendly trivia game night. Dwyer, who has acted on many of the stages throughout Colorado and has been a Denver favorite since her days at Heritage Square Music Hall, sparkles and zings!
These superb divas do a much better job of providing the set-up for playwright Simon’s work than many of their male counterparts in previous productions. The set-up is great, and by the time we come out of intermission, Act Two explodes with the hilarious performances of Josh Levy and Damon Guerrasio, who are the male equivalent of the Pigeon sisters in the original. Here they are two Spanish brothers, Manolo and Jesus Costazuela, who speak a hilarious sort of “pidgin English” as they are entertained by Florence and Olive. Outrageously funny, they will have you rolling in the aisles!
So superb acting, excellent direction and the usual suspects creating theatrical heaven in the tech department over at MAPAC are just a few of the reasons you should drop everything on Saturday night and get over to Golden to see this show. Crystal McKenzie’s costume design is eye-pleasing! John Hauser’s sound design provides just the right auditory bridges between the scenes. Vance McKenzie’s lighting design illuminates Scott McKean’s excellent set to perfection.
It is to be recognized that Miners Alley Performing Arts Center is one of the best designed of Colorado’s theatres. It features comfortable seating with plenty of leg room, as well as a congenial and welcoming staff.
Before and after the show … and at intermission as well, the well-stocked bar awaits you.
This month there is an additional treat. An exhibition of Erica Borrillo’s eye-popping abstract paintings is on view in the lobby. An artist currently living in Colorado, I have often said her breathtaking work should be on display in New York City.
So go see this laugh-inducing show and get all these bells and whistles, too! You’ll be glad you did!
For tickets call the box office at 303-935-3044 or go online at minersalley.com
