Iola Community Theatre Stages 'The Odd Couple: Female Version'

Neil Simon's classic comedy about mismatched roommates gets a gender-swapped update in this weekend's local production.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 2:39pm

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The Iola Community Theatre is staging a production of Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple: Female Version" this weekend. The play, a gender-swapped take on Simon's classic comedy about two divorced friends with wildly different lifestyles who become roommates, stars Teagan Kern as the messy, quick-witted Olive Madison and Monica Gayle Wright as the fastidious and neurotic Florence Unger. The show runs Friday through Sunday at the ICT Warehouse.

Why it matters

Simon's "The Odd Couple" has been a beloved comedy for decades, with multiple film, TV, and stage adaptations. The female version puts a fresh spin on the classic story, exploring the dynamics between two very different women navigating a shared living situation and the challenges of their newfound friendship.

The details

In the female version of "The Odd Couple," the poker nights of the original have been replaced with Trivial Pursuit games. Kern's character Olive is a successful professional who enjoys entertaining her friends, while Wright's Florence is a fastidious homemaker recently left by her husband. When Florence finds herself in need of a place to stay, Olive invites her to move in, setting the stage for the two women's clashing lifestyles and personalities to collide.

The Iola Community Theatre production of 'The Odd Couple: Female Version' runs from February 4-6, 2026.

The players

Teagan Kern

An actress playing the role of Olive Madison, the messy and quick-witted protagonist in the Iola Community Theatre's production of 'The Odd Couple: Female Version'.

Monica Gayle Wright

An actress playing the role of Florence Unger, the fastidious and neurotic roommate of Olive Madison in the Iola Community Theatre's production of 'The Odd Couple: Female Version'.