THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 31, 1996 TAG: 9603280158
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: John Harper
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
KATHY MORRISON is smiling.
The Theatre of Dare president reports that the community theater group's recent production of ``The Rainmaker'' set an attendance record. N. Richard Nash's romantic comedy attracted 865 people during its six-show run at Manteo Middle School.
``I think people are finally discovering us,'' Morrison says.
Next up for the theater group is Neil Simon's ``The Odd Couple.'' First-time director Janelle Austin directs what is probably the prolific playwright's most popular play. The show, which debuted on Broadway in 1965, revolves around two divorced men living in a New York apartment.
Oscar Madison is a gruff, cigar-smoking sportswriter who takes in his longtime friend Felix Unger, a prim neatnik who has been tossed out by his wife. Therein lies the plot: Can two opposites co-exist in a small apartment without killing each other?
Added to the mix are Madison's poker-playing buddies, most notably Murray the cop, a compulsive gambler named Speed and the meek Vinnie. Gwen and Cecily Pigeon are a couple of nutty English girls who live upstairs.
Simon's one-liners come fast and furious in ``The Odd Couple,'' but the playwright manages to show some genuine male bonding before it became fashionable.
Local radio personality Tom Charity, who has forged a number of memorable performances for the Theatre of Dare, plays Oscar in the spring production.
Michael Allen, a standout in ``The Trip to Bountiful'' and ``The Rainmaker,'' plays the finicky Felix.
The poker-playing pals will be played by Eric Hause, Pete Granna, Mike Hunter and Mark Baker. Cast as the Pigeon sisters are Kathy Morrison and Jonta Franklin.
Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau played Felix and Oscar in the 1968 movie. The play also spawned a TV series that starred Tony Randall and Jack Klugman. The ABC network series ran from 1970 to 1975. Later, in 1983, ABC brought the show back for one season with black actors Ron Glass and Demond Wilson playing Felix and Oscar.
``The Odd Couple'' runs May 8-12. For more information on the Theatre of Dare, call Kathy Morrison at 441-3088. One for the band
Three Dare County students have been awarded All-State Band honors. Manteo High School sophomore Jamie Reynolds won as third tuba in the statewide competition, held at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. First Flight Middle School eighth-grader Rebecca Sharp took second-oboe honors. Cody Shipman, a Manteo Middle School seventh-grader, placed on alto saxophone. Surfing the airwaves
The All-State Band performs April 28 in Greensboro.
Johnny Crook is the new program director at WVOD-99.1 in Manteo. He was most recently assistant program director and air personality at WROX-96X in Virginia Beach. WVOD morning man Dan Wyatt has been named news director, replacing Kain Blandford, who landed the midday job at WTVR radio in Richmond.
Shaggers alert: The syndicated ``Charlie Byrd Beach Blast'' is now heard on WOBR-Beach 95.3, on Sundays from 4 to 8 p.m.
Legendary Hampton Roads disc jockey Art Williamson is the new morning man at WERX-Rock 102 in Edenton. His credits include stints at Hampton Roads' early progressive stations WOWI and K-94. Williamson was also the co-host of the inovative ``Art and Rollie Show'' on WHRO, a public radio station in Norfolk. Recent government budget cuts forced him out. MEMO: John Harper covers entertainment for The Carolina Coast. Send comments
and questions to him at P.O. Box 10, Nags Head, N.C. 27959. by CNB