Fairfield presents 'The Odd Couple'

Nov. 15—GOSHEN — Fairfield actors will present a touchy subject during this year's fall play.

An uncommon production for a high school theater department, "The Odd Couple" at Fairfield Jr.-Sr. High School will show at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

"The Odd Couple" tells the story of a motley crew of friends who meet weekly for poker. It's the 1950s and unkempt and carefree Oscar is finally used to life after his divorce, but neat freak and organized Felix has been separated from his wife for mere days.

"'The Odd Couple' is a way for students to experience the 1950s in a serious and commercial aspect, and they've really enjoyed being able to branch out of their high school life and experience something that's completely different," said Fairfield High School Choir Director Cadence Lehman, who is also the play's director.

Oscar and Felix are polar opposites in many ways, having almost nothing in common but that their wives want nothing to do with them, but the two agree to be roommates anyway, and continue to repeat the same mistakes from their marriage together.

"They agree to live together in order for both of them to save money for alimony," Lehman explained, and chaos ensues. "It doesn't have that traditional happy ending but coming to the realization that some people are just who they are and you can't do anything to fix it. You've just got to go with it and support them."

The play, written by Neil Simon, would later be revived into a 1968 movie, a 1970s TV series, and over half a dozen screen productions based on the original. There is also a female version of the play based in the 1980s. Despite the cast of eight being five women and three men, though, Lehman said she felt like the original was better and the cast has done well at adapting to the roles. Three of the women are playing traditionally male roles.

"This one has a special quality to it that the female one just doesn't resonate with as well," Lehman said. "In the '50s, alimony and being a divorced man was a different setting than being a divorced woman in the '80s. It's just a whole different dynamic. This is the one that I wanted to bring to the stage and it's turned out exceptionally well considering."

The cast features just one junior and one sophomore, and the rest of the small cast are all freshmen, with a senior as assistant director.

The cast features Aidan Temple as Oscar Madison, Brayden Replogle as Felix Ungar, Carson Miller as Speed, Jourdan Wright as Murray, Bailey Templeton as Roy, Emma Lowe as Vinnie, Araelynn Bontrager as Gwendolyn Pigeon, and Lorelei Snively as Cecily Pigeon.

"For being a young group, they are doing really well," Lehman said. "They make it very real and find ways to connect with their characters."

Just as the production is many students' first time acting, it's also Lehman's first time directing.

Although the cast is small, students from across the school have supported it. Construction students built the set and there's even an eighth grader as stage manager.

The production is rated PG-13, and although some modifications have been made, Lehman was cautious to keep the theater crew and cast at an age-appropriate level.

Tickets for The Odd Couple at Fairfield Jr.-Sr. High School, 67530 U.S. 33, Goshen, are $10 at the door, or are available for purchase online at https://fairfieldhsin.ludus.com/index.php?show_id=200442243.

Dani Messick is the education and entertainment reporter for The Goshen News. She can be reached at dani.messick@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2065.