Jason Barnett is incredibly excited to be back in the theater where his love for acting started. A veteran of the SYAA and Mainstage productions in years past, he has recently moved back to Louisiana and is looking forward to playing for Strauss audiences for years to come.
Make sure you have a good seat for Jason’s return as Jesus Costazuela. Get your tickets here!
Mackenzie Ernst has always possessed a love for the art of writing and is elated for her debut in the performing arts. Being a part of the Strauss is something she’s always dreamed of while growing up locally. Mackenzie now proudly works as a physician recruiter at St. Francis Medical Center which allows her to showcase all there is to love about NELA. She is married to the love of her life and is beyond excited to share this production with her friends, family, and community!
You don’t want to miss Mackenzie’s Strauss debut with our final two performances this Friday and Saturday. Tickets are still on sale on our website or by calling the box office at 318-323-6681.
Pamela Lynn Taylor is very excited to resume her hobby of acting in plays. She performed in 2002 with Prince George’s Little Theatre at the Publick Playhouse (Cheverly, MD) for a performance of To Kill a Mockingbird as Helen Robinson. This is her debut at the Strauss. Pamela is also a children’s book author with her 2015 publication of I Wish I Were OK with Chocolate. She graduated in 2018 from McCann School of Business & Technology with an Associate Degree in Business Administration. She is so thankful to God and the City of Monroe for so many blessings and opportunities.
You don’t want to miss Pamela in her scene-stealing role of Vera in The Odd Couple (Female Version). Tickets for the final two performances are on sale at strausstc.com or by calling the box office at 318-323-6681.
Sam Coleman has been acting since 2012. He has since appeared as Shrek in Shrek the Musical, Brutus in Julius Caesar and Jud Fry in Oklahoma!. This is his second production at Strauss Theatre, his first being The Cover of Life in 2018.
You don’t want to miss Sam’s performance as Manolo Costazuela in The Female Odd Couple. Tickets for tonight’s performance are going fast! Purchase yours at our ticket site or by calling the box office at 318-323-6681.
Aubri Skinner is thrilled that live theatre is back, and she can’t wait to share The (Female) Odd Couple, with an audience. Aubri is an English major and works as a nanny and as a tutor. She has been in multiple Strauss shows, such as Mamma Mia!, Little Women, and, most recently, Whose Wives Are They Anyway?. She wants to thank Taylor for casting her, and she hopes you enjoy the show!
Come see Aubri take the stage as the plain-spoken Sylvie in The Odd Couple (Female Version). Tickets for this weekend’s shows are on sale now at our website or by calling the box office at 318-323-6681.
Moira O’Connor is no stranger to theater, she’s just strange. Moira studied theatre and dance at Columbia College in Chicago. Moira’s most recent roles include Lorraine Sheldon in The Man Who Came to Dinner, Karly McGachen in Whose Wives Are They Anyway?, Mother Superior in Sister Act, and Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein. When not doing theater, Moira enjoys tap dancing, playing video games, and doing jigsaw puzzles. Moira is a doting dog mom to her beautiful hours Moonpie, Mokey, Tater Pig, Cosmo, and Clark the Cat.
You don’t want to miss Moira as the wisecracking other half of the titular pair, Olive Madison! The Odd Couple (Female Version) opens this THIS THURSDAY! Visit our website or call the box office at 318-323-6681 for tickets.
Charleszette Yvonne Tyson is making her grand comeback onto the Strauss stage! She first made her theatre debut in the March/April 2006 production of Big River. Since then, she has gone on to participate in many other shows including They Called Him Coach, a black history centered production shown at the Monroe Civic Center in 2016, Pecos Bill and Orpheus in the Underworld. The latter two were performed during her time at ULM. She has also written/directed for and voice acted in local commercials. Charleszette is more than thrilled to be a part of The Odd Couple (Female Version) and hopes that her performance is nothing short of….arresting!
See Charleszette keep her friends in line as the lovably stern police officer Mickey in The Odd Couple (Female Version) opening THIS THURSDAY! Tickets can be purchased on our website or by calling the box office at 318-323-6681.
Wendy Wilson Ryland has been performing in and around Monroe for longer than she cares to mention. She was most recently seen in the Strauss production of The Man Who Came to Dinner. She has been in several productions for years including Whose Wives Are They Anyway?, Belles, Mamma Mia!, The Drowsy Chaperone, Hairspray, and Noises Off. She has had the honor of directing Little Women and several Dinner Theatre productions. She has three children and two dogs and a cat that only visits every now and then. She is excited to share the stage with her friends and to be under the direction of Taylor and Ben.
Watch Wendy take the stage as the newly single and always tidy Florence Unger in The Female Odd Couple opening this week! Tickets for the show are on sale now at our ticket site or by calling the box office at 318-323-6681.
Rehearsals for The Odd Couple (Female Version) have been going well over the past month and a half. The cast has taken to the stage and are “absolutely smashing it” according to director Taylor Michiels. This past Saturday, the entire cast was finally able to be together onstage, and the rehearsal was hilarious! Pictured left to right are cast members Pamela Taylor, Mackenzie Ernst, Aubri Skinner, Charleszette Tyson, Jason Barnett, Wendy Wilson Ryland, Sam Coleman, and Moira O’Connor.
In Neil Simon’s 1985 adaptation of his original play, the titular pair are renamed Olive and Florence. Instead of poker, they play weekly Trivial Pursuit nights with their best pals Mickey, Renee, Sylvie, and Vera. After a few weeks of living together, they make a date with the Costazuela brothers who live upstairs. Audiences will enjoy the updated take on a classic comedy.
Tickets for the show are ON SALE NOW! Tickets can easily be purchased on our website or by calling the box office at 318.323.6681 to make your reservation. The show will run March 17 (Patron Night), 18, 19, 20, 25, and 26. Grab a good seat while you still can!
Our fourth show of the season is Neil Simon’s gender-swapped revision of his classic comedy The Odd Couple. Opening on Broadway in 1985, this version strikes an excellent balance of a familiar story and a fresh take.
The Odd Couple sees the lead characters transformed into Olive Madison and Florence Unger. Olive and their group of girlfriends are enjoying their weekly Trivial Pursuit night in Olive’s messy and ill-equipped apartment. As the game continues, Florence arrives, fresh from being dumped by her husband. Fearful that the neurotic Florence might attempt suicide, Olive invites her to move in as her roommate. However, Olive and Florence have VERY different personalities. Where Olive is messy, untidy, and unconcerned about the state of her apartment, Florence is obsessively clean, tidy, and obsessed with hygiene. Olive’s easy-going outlook on life soon clashes with Florence’s highly-strung neurotic tendencies, testing their friendship to the limit. When Olive organizes a double-date with the Costazuela brothers, their differences come to a head and sparks fly.
Fans of the original play will notice and appreciate the changes Neil Simon made for this version. Poker was traded for Trivial Pursuit, the Pigeon sisters became the Costazuela brothers, and the game night group of friends transform from Murray, Speed, Vinnie, and Roy to Mickey, Sylvie, Vera, and Renee.
The Female Odd Couple‘s Broadway cast starred Sally Struthers and Rita Moreno as the titular odd couple, Florence and Olive. Lewis J. Stadlen and Tony Shalhoub (in his Broadway debut) portrayed the Costazuela brothers.
The Odd Couple has been adapted into a film, several television sitcoms, and even a cartoon!
The Odd Couple is presented through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
Join our new season today and SAVE! Secure your tickets for our 90th season of continuous live theatre and take advantage of our Early Bird prices. Click HERE to order online or call our box office at 318-323-6681.