Tim Kazurinski and George Wendt to Lead Northlight's THE ODD COUPLE

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, announces the full cast for Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, directed by Artistic Director BJ Jones. The comedy will play at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie, from November 2-December 9, 2012. The Press Opening is Friday, November 9, at 7:30 pm.

Joining the previously announced cast of legendary comic actors Tim Kazurinsky and George Wendt are fellow Second City alumni Danny Breen (Vinnie) and Bruce Jarchow (Roy), along with William Dick (Speed), Molly Glynn (Cecily), Marc Grapey (Murray the Cop), and Katherine Keberlein (Gwen).

George Wendt returns to Northlight where he appeared in the world premiere of Rounding Third in 2002. Tim Kazurinsky is making his debut at Northlight, but is a longtime friend of the theatre. George Wendt, Tim Kazurinsky, Danny Breen and Bruce Jarchow are reunited for this production; they all performed with The Second City in 1979, and all appeared together in The Second City Alumni Reunion Show – Class of '79 in June 2010.

George Wendt and Tim Kazurinsky star as famously mismatched roommates Oscar and Felix. When recently-failed marriages lead them into sharing an apartment, Felix's finicky habits and Oscar's slovenly ways make for a disastrous yet side-splittingly funny combination in this beloved comedy by Neil Simon.

BJ Jones comments, "George Wendt and Tim Kazurinsky are longtime friends whom I am delighted to have back here at Northlight. Along with their 1979 cast mates from Second City-Danny Breen and Bruce Jarchow-are Mark Grapey, William Dick, Katherine Keberlein and Molly Glynn. This is a dream cast of Chicago's finest comedic actors, and I am excited to work with all of them again."

Tim Kazurinsky (Felix Unger) is making his Northlight debut in The Odd Couple. Other Chicago credits include: Midsummer Night's Dream at Chicago Shakespeare, Hairspray (Drury Lane), Sexual Perversity Among the Buffalo, Another Fine Pickle, Freud Slipped Here, I Remember Dada (Second City); and The Bicycle Men (Lakeshore Theatre). Film credits include: About Last Night…, Somewhere in Time, Neighbors, The Cherokee Kid, I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With and Police Academy II, III and IV. Television credits include: Saturday Night Live (1981-84), Big City Comedy (NBC); Dinner at Eight (TCM); The Princess and the Pea (Faerie Tale Theatre); According to Jim (ABC); Still Standing, Early Edition (CBS); Married with Children (FOX); Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO).

George Wendt (Oscar Madison) is returning to Northlight after his appearance in the 2002 world premiere Rounding Third. Other theatre credits include: Elf–The Musical, Hairspray and Art (Broadway); Re-Animator: The Musical (Steve Allen Theater, LA); Minsky's (Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum, LA); and Twelve Angry Men (National Tour). He worked with the Second City comedy troupe from 1974-1980 and is best known for his role as Norm Peterson on the hit television series, Cheers (1982-1993). Other television credits include: Frasier, Spin City, Hot in Cleveland, Harry's Law, Becker, The Larry Sanders Show, among many others.

Danny Breen (Vinnie) appeared on The Second City mainstage in 1979, and went on to a prolific television career as a regular on HBO's acclaimed sketch series Not Necessarily the News, and appearances on Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Drew Carey Show, That '80s Show, According to Jim, Ellen, Frasier, Seinfeld, The Golden Girls, The Wonder Years, Full House, Empty Nest, and many more. Off-camera, he was a writer/producer for The Wayne Brady Show and The Ellen Degeneres Show, as well as a producer for Whose Line Is It Anyway? and The Moment of Truth.

William Dick (Speed) Chicago credits include: Cymbeline, Troilus and Cressida, The Two Noble Kinsmen, A Flea in Her Ear Much Ado About Nothing, The Merchant of Venice (Chicago Shakespeare); Accidental Death of an Anarchist (Next Theatre); Moonlight and Magnolias, House and Garden, The Goat or Who Is Sylvia? (Goodman); We All Went Down to Amsterdam (Steppenwolf) and Hearts: The Forward Observer (Northlight). Regional credits include work with Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Madison Repertory Theatre, Michigan Public Theatre, Studio Arena Theatre in New York and the Los Angeles Theatre Center. Film credits include: the independent feature Last Frontier, Robert Altman's The Company, Ice Harvest, Stranger than Fiction, The Break Up, Guy from Quebec, Of Men and Boys, Merry Gentlemen, Fred Claus and The Express.

Molly Glynn (Cecily) has previously appeared at Northlight in Permanent Collection. Her other Chicago credits include: The Uneasy Chair (Writers' Theatre); Short Shakespeare! The Taming of the Shrew (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Orange Flower Water (Steppenwolf Theatre Company and the Galway Arts Festival, Ireland); The Comedy of Errors (First Folio Shakespeare Festival); Heritage, Strictly Dishonorable (American Theater Company); Suburban Motel, Hellcab (Famous Door Theatre); Pygmalion (Apple Tree Theatre); and The Boarding House (Next Theatre Company). Regional credits include Holes (First Stage Milwaukee); The Tempest and Cyrano de Bergerac (American Stage Festival). Film and TV credits include: And Then I Woke Up for Project Greenlight, Last Day, No Sleep 'til Madison, What Are You Having?, Early Edition (CBS) and numerous television commercials.

Marc Grapey (Murray the Cop) made his Broadway debut in the 2005 revival of The Odd Couple opposite Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. Chicago Credits: Mizlansky/Zilinsky Or Schmucks, The Chosen, Antigone, Dead Man's Cell Phone and Oblivion (Steppenwolf); I Sailed With Magellan (Victory Gardens); Race, Griller, Vigils (Goodman); and Early and Often and The Homecoming (Famous Door). Regionally, he has appeared at the Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville and the HBO Comedy and Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado. TV credits: Arrested Development, The West Wing, Law and Order: SVU, Conviction, The Comeback and Sex and the City. Film credits: Ali, While You Were Sleeping, The Company, The Daytrippers, Superbad, Adventureland and Chicago Overcoat.

Bruce Jarchow (Roy) started out at The Second City in 1977 and opened mainstage shows until 1982. His Chicago theater credits include Lakeboat, The Water Engine, and Chicago Conspiracy Trial. He also appeared Off-Broadway in Edmund, True West, and Sills & Co. His movie credits include Ghost, Outbreak, The Weatherman, My Bodyguard, Scrooged, Big and The Manhattan Project, among others. His extensive TV credits include Seinfeld, Desperate Housewives, E.R., According To Jim, Weird Science, The Playboy Club, Parks and Recreation, and many more.

Katherine Keberlein (Gwen) Chicago credits include: Love's Labours Lost, Cyrano de Bergerac, Blithe Spirit, Picnic, Julius Caesar (Oak Park Festival Theatre); How I Learned to Drive, The Ruling Clas, Terra Nova (Backstage Theatre); The Goat, or Who is Sylvia (Remy Bumppo); Bordello (Chicago Dramatists). Regional: Blithe Spirit, Lies and Legends (Buffalo Theatre Ensemble); Macbeth, As You Like It (Tulane Summer Shakespeare Festival. She has appeared in the film Tony Bravo and the independent short Scatterville.

The Box Office is located at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Boulevard, in Skokie. Box Office hours are Monday-Friday 10:00am-5:00pm, and Saturdays 12:00pm-5:00pm. On performance days, the box office hours are extended through showtime. The Box Office is closed on Sundays, except on performance days when it is open two hours prior to showtime. Previews tickets are $25-$54 and the regular run tickets are $25-$72. Student tickets are $15, any performance, (subject to availability).

Curtain times are: Tuesdays: 7:30pm (except November 13 and 27); Wednesdays: 1:00pm (except November 28) and 7:30pm (except November 21); Thursdays: 7:30pm (except November 22); Fridays: 8:00pm; Saturdays: 2:30pm (except November 3) and 8:00pm; Sundays: 2:30pm, and 7:00pm (except November 11, 18 and December 9).

Northlight Theatre aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of our humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences, reflecting our community to the world and the world to our community.

Now in its 38th season, the organization has mounted nearly 200 productions, including over 40 world premieres. Northlight has earned 151 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 28 Awards. As one of the area's premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality.

The Exclusive Production Sponsor is BMO Harris Bank.

Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions from The Allyn Foundation; Arts Midwest; Blackman Kallick Bartelstein, LLP; BMO Harris Bank; Draft FCB; the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; ComEd, An Exelon Company; Edgerton Foundation for New American Plays Award; Ernst & Young; Evanston Community Foundation; Gand Music & Sound; The Homestead Hotel; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; The Irving Harris Foundation; The Joyce Foundation; Kirkland & Ellis Foundation; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Madison Dearborn Partners; Melvoin Award for Playwriting; Modestus Bauer Foundation; North Shore Center for the Performing Arts Foundation; Nuveen Investments; The Offield Family Foundation; The Pauls Foundation; Pioneer Press; Quince at the Homestead; Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation; Room & Board; Sanborn Family Foundation; Shubert Foundation; Skokie Fine Arts Council; Sullivan Family Foundation; Target; and Tom Stringer Design Partners.

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