The Odd Couple Program

ONE'S MESSY. ONE'S CLEAN. WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

MARCH 15-24, 2023

A Note from the Executive Director

Welcome to La Crosse Community Theatre's production of The Odd Couple! We are thrilled to bring this classic comedy to our stage, offering our audience the chance to see a timeless story, not to be confused by a tale as old as time. That was last season

The Odd Couple is a delightful exploration of friendship and the unexpected connections that form between unlikely companions. As we follow the antics of Felix and Oscar, two mismatched roommates, we are reminded that sometimes the most valuable lessons come from those who are different from ourselves. In their own quirky way, Felix and Oscar teach us about acceptance, compromise, and the importance of embracing the diversity of personalities that surround us, even if they do drive us nuts.

La Crosse Community Theatre has its own roommate here at the Weber Center for the Performing Arts, Viterbo University. In many ways, LCT and Viterbo are our own version of the Odd Couple. We're partners who support one another, but also sometimes drive each other a little nuts. Though we may have different missions and methods, we share a dedication to enriching our community. Just as Felix and Oscar learn to appreciate each other's unique quirks, we at LCT and Viterbo continually learn from one another, and I'd like to give an overdue thanks to our partner organization that helps to keep the doors of the Weber Center open.

I'd also like to thank William Garcia for his excellent direction, the cast for all their hard work and dedication, and the crew for pulling off some of the quickest cleaning jobs in theatre history. You have all brought this zany world to life in a way that is realistic and relatable. Bravo to you all!

We hope that tonight's performance brings you laughter, joy, and perhaps a newfound appreciation for the oddities that make life interesting, and that roommate from your past that you just might be trying to forget. Thank you for joining us on this theatrical journey, and we invite you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!

Warm regards,

ERIK VOSE Executive Director

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Lucas Hnath’s funny, probing, and bold play is at once a continuation of Ibsen’s complex exploration of gender roles and a clever contemporary take on the struggles inherent in all human relationships.

April 19-28, 2024

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Veteran's Studion Theatre

General Admission: $30

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Cast

Oscar ...............................................................................................................STEVEN WALKER

Felix ............................................................................................................ JEREMIAH GALVÁN

Murray ............................................................................................................ PETER SCHREIER

Vinnie...................................................................................................................... JACOB LEIS

Roy ......................................................................................................................... JOSH ZABEL

Speed .......................................................................................................SCOTT VEHRENKAMP

Gwendolyn Pigeon ................................................................................................ KATIE FRIES

Cecily Pigeon .............................................................................................. NICKALE BELTRAN*

Production and Design Team

Director ....................................................................................................................... WILLIAM GARCIA

Scenic Designers ................................................................................ LEX VIOLETTE | AUGUST JENNINGS

Costume Designer ...................................................................................................... THERESA SMERUD

Lighting Designer.................................................................................................................... ERIK VOSE

Props Designer ......................................................................................................... BONNIE JO BRATINA

Sound Designer | Audio Engineer ................................................................................... ROBERT STUBER

Technical Director ............................................................................................................... LEX VIOLETTE

Stage Manager ............................................................................................................... JAMES MURPHY

Carpenters ...................................................... CAST OF THE ODD COUPLE, STEVE LIBERA, KATIE FRIES, RACHEL ROOKER, WYATT ROOKER, JIM NELSON, JAMES MURPHY, CECILIA BELTRAN

Painters .......................................................................................... AUGUST JENNINGS, KELLY GALVAN

Run Crew .............................................................. RACHEL EGAN, NICHOLAS MARTIN, SOPHIE MARTINE

Costume Shop Volunteers ......................................................... CHARLOTTE GRANT, CHRISTINE PAPKE, JULIE KEITEL, NANCY MAHLUM, SHARON MARKEE, SUZANNE YOUNG, PAM SQUIRES, JESS RIGDON, CAROL SOLYST, TRINA SCHLIFER, PAT CHILSEN, RUTH PRISOLL

Phone Co., Theresa Smerud

President .......................................................................................................................................PAT HEIM

First Vice-President ................................................................................................................... JAY LOKKEN

Treasurer MARY ISAACS

Secretary .......................................................................................................................

MARY RATHGABER

Past President BRADLEY WEBER

Members at Large STEPHEN CONRAD; KELLY GALVÁN; CAROLYN COLLEEN; JOE HAMMES; NEAL MEIER; MARLENE DE LA CRUZ-GUZMAN; BRADY LOWE; RANDY NELSON; DICK RECORD; ROB REIDER; RICHARD REYNERTSON HR Representatives ........................................................................STEPHEN CONRAD AND PAT HEIM

LCT Staff

Executive Director ................................................................................................................... ERIK VOSE

Artistic Operations Director ................................................................................................ MARY CATE WESLING

Artistic Advancement Director ........................................................................................................ALEX ATTARDO

Director of Education .....................................................................................................KATELYN KLIEVE Technical Director .............................................................................................................. LEX VIOLETTE

Costume Shop Supervisor ...........................................................................................THERESA SMERUD

Marketing Manager | Assistant Costume Shop Supervisor ............................................

JESSICA RIGDON

Theatre Technician | Resident Props Designer ......................................................... MACK MIKSHOWSKY

Weber Center Operations Manager | LCT Audio/Visual Manager ............................... RYAN VAN BERKUM Finance Manager.......................................................................................................... MELANIE NIMMO

Front of House ........................................KALLAN DECKERT; BETH MORATTO; MAYA DOUGHERTY-HARRIS SHARON SINGER-DAWIDOWSKI; DAWN HAVICAN Scene Shop Staff .................................. MACKINLEY BRUEMMER, AUGUST JENNINGS, KAILYN WITTROCK

Friends of LCT Donors

The Friends of LCT Campaign aims to continually raise operational funds for LCT from large gift givers sustained over five-year long pledges. We thank the following for their pledges:

EXECUTIVE (Pledged $25,000+)

Scott and Mary Rathgaber

Russel L. and Vera M. Smith Foundation

Keith and Mary Isaacs

ASSOCIATE (Pledged $12,500 - $24,999)

Pat and Joe Heim

CONTRIBUTOR (Pledged $5,000 - $11,499)

Dr. J Michael and Vicki Hartigan

Scott and Sue Horne

Vicki and Chris Born

Dick Record

Michael and Sharon Markee

Arla Clemons

Randy and Lynn Nelson

Theresa Smerud

What Is A Hearing Loop?

Hearing Loops allow people who wear hearing aids to directly receive the sound from the theatre’s sound system in their own hearing aids, much like Wi-Fi for laptops. If you wear hearing instruments, and they have a wireless receiver called a T-coil or Telecoil built-in, you will benefit from the hearing loop in our theatre. The T-coil program is accessed by pushing a button on your hearing aid. This T-coil setting has to be activated before use. Please consult your audiologist to ensure your t-coils are properly adjusted.

If you do not have a T-coil equipped hearing instrument, please feel free to stop by the box office to pick up a hearing assist device.

The La Crosse Community Theatre is a

UFAH enhances the cultural life of the area by encouraging and providing opportunities for businesses to invest in the programs of local Arts and Humanities organizations in an efficient and effective way.

Audience Services

PURCHASING TICKETS

• The box office is open from 3 pm until 5 pm Monday through Friday and for one hour prior to each performance.

• The box office accepts cash, checks, and credit/debit cards.

• Single tickets become available for purchase 60 days before a production’s opening night.

NEED TO EXCHANGE YOUR TICKETS?

Any ticket exchanges must be done through the box office in person or over the phone. Tickets may only be exchanged for another performance of the same show.

UNABLE TO USE YOUR TICKETS?

Please contact the box office to see if an exchange for a different date can be made. On rare occasions, LCT has allowed a ticket for one production to be used at a different production. If no exchanges can be made, the ticket price may be written off as a donation tax credit.

CAMERAS AND/OR RECORDING EQUIPMENT

The use of cameras and/or recording equipment is strictly prohibited in the theatre. If you need to answer a call, please do so in the lobby so as to not disrupt the performance.

GREETING THE ARTISTS

Flowers may be left in the box office for the stage manager to deliver or you may hand them to the cast member once they are in the lobby at the conclusion of the performance. Audience members are not allowed backstage.

BAD WEATHER POLICY

If you have concerns about the weather facing an upcoming performance, please call the box office to double check that the performance will still continue. On rare occasions, LCT has canceled performances due to bad weather or cast conditions. If this occurs, exchanges or refunds will be issued.

BABIES AND SMALL CHILDREN

Every individual, no matter the age, must have a ticket in order to attend the performance. If you would like to bring your children, please purchase seats for them even if they will be seated on someone’s lap.

SEAT RESERVATIONS

Reservations for the general public begin at least 60 days before the opening of each show; season ticket reservations open the week prior. Patron donors may reserve their seats at any time. Please call the box office at 608-784-9292 if you have any questions.

LATE SEATING POLICY

Late arrivals will be seated at the house manager’s discretion during an appropriate point in the performance. If you arrive more than 15 minutes after the show begins, we reserve the right to release your seat(s) to someone else. p. 16

La Crosse Community Theatre Presents

THE ODD COUPLE

BY NEIL SIMON

STARRING

STEVEN WALKER JEREMIAH GALVÁN PETER SCHREIER JOSH ZABEL

SCOTT VEHRENKAMP JACOB LEIS KATIE FRIES NICKALE BELTRAN

DIRECTED BY WILLIAM GARCIA

COSTUME DESIGN BY THERESA SMERUD

LIGHTING DESIGN BY ERIK VOSE

PROPS DESIGN BY BONNIE JO BRATTINA

CO-SCENIC DESIGN BY AUGUST JENNINGS

CO-SCENIC DESIGN BY LEX VIOLETTE

TECHNICAL DIRECTION BY LEX VIOLETTE

STAGE MANAGER JAMES MURPHY

SOUND DESIGN BY ROBERT STUBER

THE ODD COUPLE is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

PLEASE SILENCE ALL CELL PHONES, WATCHES AND OTHER DEVICES, AS USE OF THESE IS NOT ALLOWED INSIDE OF THE LYCHE THEATRE. ANY VIDEO OR AUDIO RECORDING OF THIS PRODUCTION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

Director’s Note

The Odd Couple is an American classic and has been performed almost continuously in theatres around the country since its premiere on Broadway in 1965.; It has spawned movies, TV shows, comedy albums and more.

But why?

Why is this play so funny? Neil Simon's biggest innovation with this script is to take the traditional "Fish Out of Water" story and double-down on it. Both Oscar and Felix are living in a new reality they did not choose and do not want. Both of them are clueless about how to move forward. Both are struggling with how to define themselves after being a "husband" did not work out.

And we, the audience, know exactly how they feel. We recognize the fear of the unknown, we have felt the humiliation of failure and we know what it means to not know the way forward. We might not take things to the extremes that Felix and Oscar do, but we understand where they are coming from. This recognition is the reason for the longevity of this story. At some of our lowest moments, we are Felix and we are Oscar.

So, sit back and get ready to laugh at our actors and ourselves.

WILLIAM GARCIA Director

Scene

Scene

The Company

ROBERT STUBER

BONNIE JO BRATINA

JACOB LEIS

SCOTT V EHRENKAMP

THERESA SMERUD

KATIE FRIES

NICKALE BELTRAN

LEX VIOLETTE AUGUST JENNINGS

PETER SCHREIER

JEREMIAH GALVÁN

STEVEN WALKER

JOSH ZABEL

WILLIAM GARCIA

JAMES MURPHY

ERIK VOSE

Who's Who

STEVEN WALKER (Oscar) To Gwendolyn for being coo-coo, to Cecily for sharing the fridge, to Roy for the $20, to Vinnie for having my back, to Murray for the advice, to Speed for being a real poker player, to Felix for the ladle lessons and to all of them for making me laugh. Thank you, Mr. Simon.

JEREMIAH GALVÁN (Felix Ungar) Jeremiah is so grateful to be in this show about friendship and linguini. When he’s not on stage acting like a crazy nut, he enjoys being anywhere that his three wonderful kids and terrific wife are. Now, sit back, enjoy the show… and clean up after yourself! And if you're from La Crosse, please help him with his next role by writing in his name for School Board when you vote on April 2nd.

PETER SCHREIER (Murray) The Odd Couple marks my 6th decade of involvement with the La Crosse Community Theatre. Since 1970 it has been my privilege to have been associated with so many people who I call friends. It's been my pleasure to have entertained the community during this time. I extend my gratitude to my wife Nancy, who has played the leading role in my life.

I dedicate my performance to the memory of my parents, Peter and Hilda and my brothers and sisters.

JOSH ZABEL (Roy) Josh is happy to be back on stage once again with LCT. He was last seen in A Nice Family Christmas at LCT in December as Uncle Bob. When not participating in theater, Josh works at UWL as a Complex Director in Residence Life. Josh would like to thank his fiancée Steph for all of her love and support, and of course the cast and crew of The Odd Couple for making this such a fun process.

SCOTT VEHRENKAMP (Speed) From Hegg WI. Work at Logan High School as a Teachers Assistant in Special Education. Some of my favorite productions at LCT that I performed in include One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,

Escanaba In Da Moonlight and The Diary Of Anne Frank. I would like to thank my family and friends for all their support, and a special shout out to my Logan family. You are the best!

JACOB LEIS (Vinnie) Jake got his start performing and writing sketch comedy with Live From La Crosse, before branching out to standup and other stage productions. In his free time, Jake can be found being a big ol nerd or working on home improvement projects. His last time working with LCT was playing Robert in Don’t Dress for Dinner, and is very excited to return to the Weber Center stage!

NICKALE BELTRAN (Cecily Pigeon)Nickale was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and spent much of her life viewing the arts in many capacities. She is very excited for her acting debut to be as a part of LCT and is genuinely honored for the opportunity. She is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend, and enjoys what each of those roles bring to her.

KATIE FRIES (Gwendolyn Pigeon) Katie is overjoyed to work with this hilarious group of humans! This is her 10th onstage role at LCT, with other roles including Tzeitel (Fiddler on the Roof) and Pilar (Legally Blonde). She has also served as music director, props manager, carpenter, and costume crew for multiple productions. During the day, Katie works as an Academic Advisor for the College of Business Administration at UWL. Special "thank you" to her family and coworkers for supporting her passion for theatre.

WILLIAM GARCIA (Director) William Garcia first appeared on stage at the age of 6 and has spent the rest of his life plotting how to stay there. He loves directing above all else, and has directed numerous shows for LCT, including Newsies, Proof and Diary of Anne Frank. He also acts and sings a bit. He thanks his wife Merideth and his daughters Merlin and Ginny for their love and continual support of his insanity.

Who's Who

JAMES MURPHY (Stage Manager) is incredibly excited to once again be working with LCT. This is James’ eleventh production overall with LCT. Some previous productions include Legally Blonde (Emmet Forrest) Beauty and the Beast (Cogsworth), Titanic (Hartley/Bride), and Sister Act (“Sweaty” Eddie). Outside of LCT, James is planning to further his education in theater in the near future at UW-L. Thank you to everyone for being involved as well as attending this amazing production!

ERIK VOSE (Lighting Designer) As the Executive Director of La Crosse Community Theatre, Erik Vose is a visionary leader, dedicated to nurturing the vibrant theatrical community and fostering creative expression. Erik started his theatre journey in high school. In college, he decided to make it his career, earning a BFA from Texas State University and an MFA from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. He has been the director of production at multiple venues, but LCT is his first time as an Executive DIrector. With a passion for the arts and a commitment to inclusivity, Erik spearheads initiatives that elevate the cultural landscape, empowering individuals to explore their talents and share diverse narratives on stage. Through his strategic guidance and unwavering dedication, he hopes to shape an environment where art thrives, inspiring audiences and artists alike.

AUGUST JENNINGS (Co-Scenic Designer) is excited for his next design position at LCT! This is his second season as the scenic painter at LCT, and his latest work includes Dog Sees God, Legally Blonde, and Fiddler on the Roof. He was recently the scenic designer of Dr. Faustus at UW-La Crosse, where he is a fourth year Scenic Design and Art student. He would like to thank his family and friends for all their support!

THERESA SMERUD (Costume Designer) has been involved with LCT since she was 10 years old, when she was cast in The Music Man. Over the years, she participated on stage, but then gravitated to working with costumes. She

designed costumes on and off over the years, even before a costume shop was established, with volunteers meeting at her home. Theresa has been LCT’s volunteer photographer, capturing most of the productions for the archives and PR. She is a national award-winning photographer,and her photos have graced the covers of "Dance Studio Life Magazine" and other publications. She is married to Scott and has raised five children, three of whom grew up at LCT and are working in some capacity of the arts. Theresa can’t wait to share LCT with her grandchildren, making it a four-generation love affair.

ROBERT STUBER (Sound Designer) is happy to be crossing the Mississippi for his sixth show for LCT. Previous productions include The Wizard of Oz, Next to Normal, Beauty and the Beast, RENT, and Legally Blonde. Bob has also designed shows for the theatre departments at Winona State University and St. Mary's University as well as other productions in and around Winona Minnesota.

LEX VIOLETTE (Co-Scenic Designer/Technical Director) is currently the Technical Director at LCT. Previous work at LCT includes The Last Five Years (Scenic Designer/TD), The Wizard of Oz (TD), A Nice Family Christmas (Scenic Designer/ TD), Fiddler on the Roof (TD), Legally Blonde (TD), and Dog Sees God (Patricia/TD). She would like to thank her family and friends for the overwhelming support she has received. Enjoy the performance!

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