JJC theater wows audience with ‘Odd Couple’

Two best friends living together. One organized and uptight, the other sloppy and carefree. Both are newly going through a divorce and trying to navigate through life together. What could possibly go wrong? “The Odd Couple” started as a play created by Neil Simon in 1965. The play was a huge hit and soon ended up as a Broadway show. Later, the story turned into a film, then as a TV series starring Tony Randall as Felix and Jack Klugman as Oscar. The show lasted five seasons, and ended in 1975. “The Odd Couple” had a total of 964 performances. The play also had two previews. It started at the Plymouth Theatre in 1965. Two years later it switched to the Eugene O’Neill Theatre. On the other hand, “The Odd Couple” television show went Staff writer Mia Sanchez on for five years. It ended with a total of 114 episodes and five seasons. The show streamed on ABC network. This year, the first play the JJC Players’ performed this semester was “The Odd Couple,” with shows on Oct. 6 through Oct. 9. Opening night was as usual as they come. People lining up forty-minutes before doors open. Everyone is struggling to find their seats and constantly double checking their tickets to ensure they’re in the right spot. The music playing, setting the tone for the next two and a half hours. Everyone continuously chatting and suddenly shushing once the lights start dimming. The set perfectly captures a divorce man slipping away. The walls were gruesome with stains, empty bottles, and garbage bags in every corner. The cast was so intune with their characters, enough to make someone believe that’s how they are in everyday life. “We started rehearsing the day after Labor Day,” director Tammy Perkins said. “We rehearsed three hours a day for four weeks, had tech rehearsal, and then four rehearsals in costume and makeup, with the lights, sound effects, and all that food!” Everyone talks about the performance. The actors, the set up, the music. However, no one brings up the work to bring the show to life. Once the actors give their bow and everyone goes home, what happens after? The team takes down the set that took weeks to prepare and comes down in a matter of hours. The set itself is a character in the play. The days of planning and details that go into it. The time and hard work that gets put into the set. The crew’s family and friends coming in to see the show in support.