The odd couple neil simon artist note: I am always influenced by the books I’m reading at any particular time and right now that book happens to be Keith Richards’ autobiography. His main focus is always about the music, keeping the band together and playing. As we start rehearsals, I look around the room at the “band” I’m playing with again. There’s Oliver Dennis – we started working together in a show with Theatre Columbus over 20 years ago. And Diego Matamoros I met and worked with starting in the late 80’s. Of course Albert Schultz and I met in the summer of 1983 at the Banff School of Fine Arts, and Stuart Hughes I met and worked with in the mid 90’s. I’ve met some of the other folks involved in the production over the years and have seen their work on stage. Back in the old days (and for me I mean the theatre back in the 80’s) as a theatre student, there was always a lot of talk about creating a company or joining a company. We would discuss how great it might be to work with the same core group of people and how that might help bring more creative freedom and expression to the rehearsal hall. Or as Keith puts it, “We have tremendous fun on stage. You want to go to there? Fine let’s go a little further. We know Charlie (insert Oliver Dennis) has got it nailed. Let’s f**k around!!” I’ve always learned that out of chaos comes imagination (which, as a parent, is a wonderful lesson to learn). But where does the chaos come from? Maybe it comes from the familiarity that long collaboration and extended working relationships can bring. Interesting things happen when people are together for a long time. I look around the room and I’m so excited to be still playing with this group of people and that the band is still together.
Kevin Bundy, Roy in The Odd Couple