Tom Rocco, Tom Schaller Lead The Odd Couple At Liberty Theatre

Two Toms - Schaller and Rocco - will Simon-ize audiences in Midland, launching the summer season at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center with Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple."

Tom Schaller and Tom Rocco are funny, funny fellows, and even funnier in the roles of mismatched friends trying to survive as urban roommates: slovenly Oscar Madison and uptight, fussy Felix Ungar.

Tom, Tom and a talented supporting cast bring Neil Simon's classically comic Broadway play to the intimate studio theater at Lincoln Park on June 17-19 and 24-26.

Presented by Liberty Theatre, Lincoln Park's resident professional company, the play features a half-dozen area professionals and Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School alumni: John Burja, Ariel Leasure, Casey Novak, Damon Spencer, Mark Tinkey and yet another Tom, Tom Bickert.

Tickets are on sale now for $25 and $20 through the Lincoln Park box office, by phone at 724.643.9004 or online at www.lppac.org. Showtime on Friday and Saturday shows in the intimate studio theater is 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m.

Tom Schaller (Oscar Madison) is an alumnus of Point Park University and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Last summer he appeared with Liberty Theatre in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" as Pharaoh, and directed Liberty Theatre's production of "A Christmas Story" on the main stage in December 2010. Tom has been creating hilarity in and around Pittsburgh for the past 16 years with such companies as Pittsburgh Playhouse, City Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Pittsburgh CLO, CLO Cabaret and Pittsburgh Musical Theater.

Tom Rocco (Felix Ungar) is a native Pittsburgher and Point Park alumnus who now resides on New York's Long Island. His credits include Broadway: as Uncle Ernie in "The Who's Tommy" and in Martin Charnin's "Winchell," off-Broadway as Basil Hallward in "Dorian Gray," and in the original national tours of "The Who's Tommy" and "Chess." He's been seen as Seymour in "Little Shop of Horrors" at the Smithsonian Institution and Magaldi in "Evita" at the Gateway Playhouse.

Rocco is also a cabaret artist and produced his own show, which won the 2010 Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs Award for Best New York Debut. One reviewer called Rocco "blissfully brilliant on every level."

Rocco said he is thrilled to be performing at Lincoln Park for the first time with his friend and colleague, Gavan Pamer. Lincoln Park, he said, "is the kind of theater that actors dream of working in." Rocco recently had another show in Pittsburgh celebrating his recent CD release at the Cabaret at Theater Square.

Formed with a mission to present "quality, affordable entertainment to enrich and enhance the cultural experiences of the region and provide ongoing opportunities for aspiring and professional artists," Liberty Theatre employs on a paid basis both professional actors and talented college and high school student performers.
About Liberty Theatre

Formed with a mission to present "quality, affordable entertainment to enrich and enhance the cultural experiences of the region and provide ongoing opportunities for aspiring and professional artists," Liberty Theatre employs on a paid basis both professional actors and college and high school student performers.

About Lincoln Park

Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center is a regional asset for arts education, cultural events and entertainment productions. A $30 million facility opened in 2006, the center hosts the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School, a Pennsylvania public school with 525 students in grades 8-12. Students from 52 surrounding school districts study dance, music, musical theater, media arts, creative writing and health art sciences.

 

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