Laughs and Linguini as Triton College Presents “The Odd Couple: Female Version”

RIVER GROVE, Ill. – Triton College takes audiences back to the ‘80s with its production of Neil Simon’s classic comedy The Odd Couple: Female Version, November 7, 8, 14 and 15 from 7-8:30 p.m. in the George R. Cox Auditorium, J-Building, Room 108 (West Campus).

Admission is $5 or free with a Triton ID. Tickets are available at the door or can be reserved by emailing Archawee Dhamavasi (archaweedhamavasi@triton.edu) or Director Nicole Minardi (nicoleminardi@triton.edu).

When Florence Unger moves in with her close friend, Olive Madison, after a breakup, differences in their personalities become clearer. The women, and those around them, confront change while gaining confidence in themselves.

Chaos and laughter follow: a capon burns, a plate of linguini (or spaghetti) flies, and friendships are tested.

Minardi, who acted in the play as a seventh grader, is excited to bring “The Odd Couple” to Triton College.

“I’ve always had in my mind that I wanted to direct this and bring it back because it’s been a long time since I worked with the piece,” Minardi said. “It’s one of those things that was a favorite childhood memory.”

It’s a nostalgic play, rife with 80s references, but Minardi said much of the humor is physical, making it accessible.

“There are a lot of jokes that use timing, so I think that will appeal to all audience members, whether or not they get the jokes that are part of the time period,” she said, although some topics, like mental health, are portrayed differently than they might be today.

And while “The Odd Couple: Female Version” takes place over two weeks of a sweltering New York City summer, it’s (sort of) a Thanksgiving play, according to Triton student Isabel Wasilewski of Franklin Park, who plays Unger.

“You have the baked bird. You have the sides. What else do you need for Thanksgiving, other than drama?” said Wasilewski with a smile.

And what better place to experience a play about closeness than in Triton’s black box theater?

“The thing about it being a black box is that it’s inherently so transformative, because you can do whatever you want with it,” said Wasilewski.

“It’s very easy to get close knit with people when you’re literally close to each other because it’s a small theater, but it’s also good for the audience because it lets them feel closer,” she added.

Closeness can cause conflict. “It’s one thing to tell your friend ‘You can come stay with me’ and another to have the actuality of having someone live with you,” said Amanda Tomczak, who plays Madison.

"There’s a lot of messiness in the show,” added Tomczak. “There’s messiness in all the girls’ relationships; there’s messiness in the whole thing.”

Much of the humor comes from Madison and Unger facing the messiness in opposite ways. And in the end, their differences underscore a message that resonates as much today as it did in the 80s:

“We’re all so human and quirky and imperfect,” Tomczak said. “At the end of the day, we all just want to be loved for being exactly that.”

Wasilewski has found Triton College to be a place that fosters appreciation for people with diverse skills and interests. Now in her last semester of the Associate in Fine Arts degree program, she said Triton “is a very special place to me.”

“As a Triton student, it’s very convenient for me as the theater is right here,” Wasilewski said. “It’s full of a lot of people that I already know and already trust, which is essential for doing a theater production in any facet.”

Learn more about Triton’s performing arts programs and events at triton.edu/entertainment or register for the spring 2026 semester at triton.edu/admissions-aid/spring.

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Media Contacts:
Melissa Ramirez Cooper | melissacooper@triton.edu | 708-456-0300, Ext. 3496
Rachel K. Hindery | rachelhindery@triton.edu

ABOUT TRITON COLLEGE:
Triton College is a public institution of higher education dedicated to student success. Recently recognized by the Aspen Institute as one of the Top 200 community colleges in the nation, Triton offers more than 120 degree and certificate programs that prepare students to pursue meaningful careers, transfer to four-year universities, and thrive in a global economy. Guided by our mission—Valuing the individual, educating and serving the community—Triton serves nearly 12,000 students annually on its 110-acre campus in River Grove, Illinois. Our dedicated faculty and staff provide high-quality, accessible and affordable educational opportunities that empower students and strengthens the communities we serve. Triton College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of The Illinois Community College Board. Illinois is home to 45 colleges in 39 community college districts. Learn more at triton.edu.