The Victorian Players Anchors away for this "Odd Couple"

Staff report

The Victorian Players, fresh off its success with “Dog Days” and winning 15 Marquee Awards, will open the 2012-13 season with the Neil Simon classic comedy “The Odd Couple.”

But what will make this production of the popular comedy unique is the fact that it will star local early-morning WYTV favorites Len Rome and Jim Loboy in the roles of Felix and Oscar.

Managing director of the Victorian, J.E. Ballantyne Jr., said that the casting of Rome and Loboy was a natural when you consider their early- morning show.

“The two of them are good friends and know each other well from working the early-morning show, and their constant banter back and forth for two hours every day is very similar to Oscar and Felix,” Ballantyne said.

The response to the casting has been overwhelming. Ballantyne said that at no time in the previous 20-year history of the Victorian have reservations for a show come in so early and so fast. He said they are working hard to keep up with the flood of reservations. There are still tickets remaining.

Rome and Loboy are not the only heavy hitters in this production. The rest of the cast is rounded out by some of the strongest actors in the area. Glenn Stevens of WFMJ-TV 21, C. Richard Haldi, Sam Luptak Jr., Christopher Chaibi, Denise Sculli and Regina Reynolds fill other roles in the show, which is being directed by Marlene Menaldi Strollo.

Ballantyne said that this show is only the beginning of the biggest and best season ever attempted by the Victorian.