![Walter Matthau, left, and Art Carney, right, originated “The Odd Couple” on Broadway in 1965 and won several Tony Awards. [Henry Grossman]](http://www.jstudentboard.com/reporter/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/oddcouple.jpg)
Katie Engler and Sarah Cooper starred in the play as two friends who end up as roommates despite the fact that they’re complete opposites. Engler performed as Olive, a messy, careless sports writer, while was Florence, a neat freak who has just been separated from her husband. Though the original play called for male actors in the main roles, the adaptation for females was created by Simon himself in 1985.
Kate Demetriou, Lindsay LaBrecque, Mary Alex Daniels, and Abby Derosa played Olive and Flo’s friends. Elias Figueroa and Andrew Gunter played Manolo and Jesus Costazuela, two hilarious Castilian Spanish brothers who provided some of the funniest jokes in the whole play.
La Cañada High School (LCHS) sophomore Abigail Lidar said, “I watched the play on the first night, and thought the play was pretty well executed. The actors and actresses seemed very invested in the production. My favorite part was when Manolo and Jesus entered the crowd. The crowd started to roar, and that just livened the whole play.”
Despite the occasional minor line mishap, these students did a great job in playing their characters and delivering their lines with perfect comedic timing. The chemistry between the actors made all the relationships seem believable and genuine. All of the actors brought their roles to life, but Katie Engler and Sarah Cooper merit special notice for their dedication to making the play the best it could be.
“In my four years of doing theatre, ‘Odd Couple’ was the best experience I´ve ever had and I’m really happy that I got to be a part of it,” said Kate Demetriou, who performed as one of the aforementioned friends of Olive and Flo, told JSR.
Overall, “The Odd Couple” was an enjoyable experience for both the audience and the actors on each of the nights they performed. The success of the play bodes well for future productions at LCHS during the rest of the season, leaving the audience to anticipate shows that will be just as funny and well-acted as this one.
