A few weeks ago, HC Theater was performing “The Odd Couple”, a play created in the 1960’s that later turned into multiple sitcoms. There were shows throughout the week both during school and afterschool. The tickets were sold for five dollars.
The show follows two friends, Olive and Florence, who are divorced, and have very different personalities. Olive loves sports, eating take-out, and is very messy. Florence loves making dinner, having a clean house, and is a perfectionist.
The production starts off with four friends playing a board game and having some really poor quality food. They get a call saying that their friend, Florence, has gone missing after her husband demanded a divorce. After calling many different people, Florence shows up at the apartment and Olive offers to let her move in, as she’s worried Florence might kill herself.
Throughout the play, Olive and Florence’s different lifestyles start to get on each other’s nerves. Florence is annoyed that Olive is a slob and that her home-made food isn’t appreciated. Olive is annoyed that the house has to be kept perfectly clean, that they never go out for dinner, and that she can’t go out on dates with guys.
Eventually, Olive gets her way, and they invite two Texan cowboys, who are their neighbors, to dinner at their place. There is a problem when Olive lies about the time the double date starts to Florence, and so Florence puts the food in the oven too soon. The date starts off awkwardly, with all four in the living room silent. Olive, to escape the awkwardness, goes into the kitchen to get the food ready. She finds it a disaster, as the food is burnt to a complete crisp. Meanwhile, Florence starts venting about her divorce and how she misses her husband and her furniture. The two cowboys give her advice, and talk about how they miss their exes as well. When Olive comes back, she finds the three of them crying. She reluctantly breaks the news to them that the food is ruined, and all four of them go to inspect it.
After deciding that the food is utterly inedible, the cowboys offer to have the dinner in their apartment with the leftovers in their fridge. Olive immediately agrees, and the cowboys leave to go get their apartment ready. Once they are gone, Florence blocks the door, refusing to let Olive leave. She tells Olive that she isn’t over her divorce, and that she doesn’t want to go. Olive yells at her, saying that the boys are waiting for them and that it couldn’t hurt. Florence then fakes illness, and they both end up staying home.
The next day, Olive gives Florence the silent treatment, as she’s mad about staying home. They end up in an argument, and Olive kicks Florence out just as their friends start to come over again. Florence leaves, and their friends try to calm Olive down and convince her to ask Florence to come back. Olive refuses, complaining about everything that Florence has done to get on her nerves. After a few minutes, Florence comes back with the two cowboys, asking for her stuff.
The production ends with Florence getting back her stuff and announcing that she’s moving in with the Texan cowboys. After she leaves, Olive is happy to see her go, and the friends who are left in the apartment get back to their board game.
The HC Theater Department’s next two productions are going to be “Almost, Maine”, a play happening during the winter, and “Sister Act”, a spring musical. Auditions are happening this week and next on Thursday 11/21, Friday 11/22, and Monday 11/25. To audition for “Almost, Maine” students will need to have a 30 second-one minute monologue that they have memorized. To audition for a singing role in “Sister Act”, students need to have a song of their choice prepared to sing during auditions along with a monologue. To audition for a non-singing part in “Sister Act”, students must have a 30 second-one minute monologue. The auditions will be happening in room 125, and if you have any questions, you can ask Mr. Shuler.
