Coming to
Mesabi Range College Theatre
Fall 2013
The Odd Couple
by Neil Simon
Auditions
5:00 – 7:00 pm
Thursday, July 25
Friday, July 26
Virginia Campus Theatre
For play synopsis and cast of
characters go to
www.mesabirange.edu
SYNOPSIS
For Oscar Madison, life is just about perfect.
He has a comfortable, if sloppy and
disheveled, apartment, the best pokerplaying buddies on the planet, and only an
occasional nag from his ex-wife. What
happens, though, when Oscar, out of the
goodness of his heart, takes in his best friend
Felix Unger, newly banished from his home
and formerly almost-perfect life? The result is
exactly what anyone would expect when
Type A and Type B collide and try to coexist. Can Oscar get Felix back up on his feet
and out on his own before Felix drives him
crazy? Can Felix disinfect and organize
Oscar’s life before it self-combusts? Add to
this toxic tangle, the outrageous and
continuous intervention of the poker buddies
and two damsels from England, and Oscar’s
life becomes more than interesting!
CHARACTERS
Oscar Madison: “He is a pleasant, appealing man. He seems to enjoy life to the fullest. He
enjoys his weekly poker game, his friends, his excessive drinking and his cigars. . . . His carefree
attitude is evident in the sloppiness of his household but it seems to bother others more than it
does Oscar.”
Major Role
Appears significantly in Acts I, II, and III
Felix Unger: Careful and neat to a fault. His life philosophy seems to be neat is as neat does.
Felix is obviously at a loss without the routine and stabilizing influence of his marriage. Even
though he is aware of his ability to irritate the most patient of souls, he is helpless to do
anything about it.
Major Role
Appears significantly in Acts I, II, and III
Murray: Policeman—careful and plodding, whether he is playing poker or giving advice.
Mid-size Role
Appears with the other poker players
 Beginning of Act I (pages 5-30)
 Act II, Scene 1 (pages 41-47)
 Act III (pages 82-90)
Speed: Testy. Always busting everyone’s chops. No mention of wife or kids. (Could be played
by a woman)
Mid-size Role
Appears with the other poker players
 Beginning of Act I (pages 5-30)
 Act II, Scene 1 (pages 41-47)
 Act III (pages 82-90)
Vinnie: Cheapskate. Packed with nervous energy, always tapping his foot, checking his
watch. In Act I, Vinnie is anxious to get home. He and his wife are traveling to Florida for a
vacation. In Act II, Vinnie is most appreciative of Felix’s alterations of the typical poker game
night.
Mid-size Role
Appears with the other poker players
 Beginning of Act I (pages 5-30)
 Act II, Scene 1 (pages 41-47)
 Act III (pages 82-90)
Roy: Oscar’s accountant. He complains about everything: the lack of air conditioning, the
smell of Oscar’s apartment, Speed’s cigar smoke. . . .
Mid-size Role
Appears with the other poker players
 Beginning of Act I (pages 5-30)
 Act II, Scene 1 (pages 41-45)
 Act III (pages 82-90)
Cecily: More often than not, more ditzy than her sister. Still, she’s paying attention to what is
going on around her and does have some very clever lines.
Minor Role
Appears with her sister Gwendolyn
Act II, Scene 2 (pages 60-71)
Act III (pages 86-87)
Gwendolyn: Genuine and sincere. Gwendolyn was in the process of divorcing her husband
when he died suddenly. She becomes very emotional about it once Felix begins to talk about
his children and his divorce.
Minor Role
Appears with her sister Cecily
Act II, Scene 2 (pages 60-71)
Act III (pages 86-87)
Rehearsal will generally run Monday-Thursday
from 5-8 pm.
Performance Dates:
FRIDAY, Oct. 1110:00 Matinee Performance
7:00 pm Performance
SATURDAY, Oct. 12
2:00 Matinee Performance
7:00 pm Performance
SUNDAY, Oct. 13
2:00 Matinee Performance
For more
information call or
leave a message at
749-7759.