New take on a Neil Simon classic

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WASILLA — Starting off the 42nd season for the Valley Performing Arts center is a female-led version of the classic Neil Simon play, ‘The Odd Couple’, which has been adapted into television and movies and eventually found its way up to the Mat-Su Valley as a warming chuckle to stave off the cold, dark winter.

VPA had a preview night on Thursday to test the waters and is making their big debut tonight at 7 p.m. The play runs from January 12th to the 28th — Fridays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There will also be special dinner theater performances Feb. 1-3. Tickets are $17 for seniors and students and $19 for general admission. Long-time VPA veteran and board member, Dave Nufer is directing the play.

“I picked it because we need to lose track of the wind and the cold, even it’s just for a couple hours,” Nufer said.

Riddled with snide remarks and subtle humor, the Odd Couple follows the story of Florence Unger and Olive Madison, played by Aubrey Thompson and Hillary Saffran and their friends, played by Nikki Hohnadel, Amanda Mayer, Elaine DeCleva, Sandi Magers, Matt Firmin, and Garrett Wixon. The script contains joke after joke, ceaselessly attacking the audience with dry wit — a pastime many in the cast felt that the community would appreciate in a season with such a stark lack of sunlight. According to Thompson, even though they’ve heard the jokes countless times in rehearsals, she and Saffran still laugh at the jokes.

“What better way spend the winter months?” Saffran said.

Genders have been flipped around from the traditional tellings, so the small cast of characters consists of six women and two men. At the iconic opening scene, instead of a poker, Ms. Madison and the girls spend an evening playing Trivial Pursuit. The Pigeon sisters were replaced by the two Constanzuela brothers. Picking the cast was surprisingly refreshing for Nufer.

“I forgot how much fun it is to pick a cast and watch them become a family,” Nufer said.

The family analogy is passed around a lot with the VPA community. This is the 24th play on Nufer’s belt and the fourth he’s directed. He’s acted in about 18 plays, starting back in 2007 when he played Cogsworth’ for Beauty and the Beast.

Seeing his daughters in theater ignited the spark and getting roped into VPA cemented the flame. He said that after he gave it a shot, he was instantly “hooked,” a sentiment shared with his fellow thespians, both new and seasoned. The current crew affirmed that acting is “addicting” and the sense of community created in a production keeps them coming back for more. This, of course, is all done on an unpaid basis since it’s a community theater.

“We get paid with Doritos and cookies!” Saffran laughed.

Saffran added that the real payment is making that connection with audience and being able to celebrate with her cast afterwards. Christine Lloyd has become a fixture at VPA, clocking in 20 years “on and off.” She said that when she moved up here, she was by herself. She always loved theater and after seeing a few shows at VPA, she tried out. Like Nufer and many other VPA members, she’s played many roles since, from lead roles to behind the scenes.

“I’ve done it all,” Lloyd said.

There are three new additions to the VPA family: Sandi Magers, Nikki Hohnadel and Elaine DeCleva. DeCleva has spent many years with the Alaska Fine Arts Academy in Eagle River. She said that she wanted to try something new and try out in the Valley. Magers saw this as a “healthy outlet” and Hohnadel is eager to see if the audience “thinks it’s as funny as we do.”

“I like making people feel something,” said Odd Couple Stage Manger, Raven Sikes.

Saffran is sure their only problem will be timing their pauses around the endless laughter from the audience, which she sees as the “greatest problem to have” and when “people can laugh when it’s a dark winter, that’s a good service.” It seems the folks at VPA share a love for the theater community among other things.

“We share an addiction for cookies,” Thompson laughed.

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