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JSU’s Taste of the Town Dinner Theater Opens on July 4 |
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Abby Knight JSU News Bureau JACKSONVILLE -- July 3, 2002 -- Three women, in particular, have waited an especially long time for the curtain to rise at Jacksonville State University’s Taste of the Town Dinner Theater. JSU drama students Danielle Schreiber, Misty Lane and Heather Parks were slated to appear in Neil Simon’s female version of The Odd Couple last summer when the state legislature's budget cuts shut it down for the year. The show, however, goes on. Beginning July 4th, Jacksonville State University’s Taste of the Town Dinner Theater will re-open its doors and present Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple with a feminine twist. More then just the original Odd Couple with females in the roles, Simon rewrote the play in the mid 1980’s to give it a fresh approach. Packed with Simon’s famous one-liners, the play is a humorous look at women and the importance of friendships. JSU alumna Ashley Pendley, originally of Anniston, plays the independent, yet incredibly disorganized Olive who still sends money to her no-good ex-husband. She takes in old friend Florence, played by Danielle Schreiber, of Weaver, who is going through a painful break-up. Flo is neat to a fault and has a flair for the dramatic. The mostly female cast is rounded out by Mandy Dickens, of Jacksonville, Candace Carter, of Madison, Misty Layne, of Fort Payne and Heather Parks, of Bynum who play Olive and Flo’s trivial pursuit playing gal pals. Joe Fuselli, of Jacksonville, and Brian Boozer, of Hokes Bluff, take a comic turn as Hispanic brothers who live in the same building as Olive. The “girl power” continues with stage manager Dani Proctor, of Oxford, running things behind the scenes. The production was directed by JSU Assistant Professor of Drama, Susan McCain. “It was fun bringing the cast together and watching them developing onstage, as well as developing friendships offstage, “says McCain, who directed Simon’s Star Spangled Girl two years ago for Taste of the Town. Carleton Ward, who is a professor of Drama at JSU, as well as the department’s head, designed the set. The Odd Couple runs July 4-6 and 11-14. Paid reservations are required for the dinner theater. Tickets are $25.00 and group rates are available for parties of 24 or more. MasterCard and Visa are accepted as well as personal checks and money orders. For reservations or information, call (256) 782-5648. |
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