Dallas Theatre Center
by Neil Simon
Kevin Moriarty, dir.
Tyler Micoleau, lights
Jennifer Caprio, clothes
Broken Chord, sound
Additional Photos by Karen Almond
Best Set Design, DFW Theatre Critics Forum Award
Lawson Taittle, Dallas News
“The Theater Center’s physical production is first-class all the way, especially Timothy R. Mackabee’s glorious thrust set, framed from above with architectural crown molding. The vista of another apartment building outside the dining room windows almost makes you smell traffic fumes and feel the breeze coming off the Hudson River.”
Elaine Liner, Dallas Observer
“By the second act, Oscar and Felix have fallen into comfortable rhythms as roommates. Oscar's eight-room Upper West side apartment has been transformed from reeking pigsty to gleaming showplace, thanks to Felix. (The sprawling L-shaped set by scenic designer Timothy R. Mackabee features parquet floors, gorgeous crown moldings and a view from the dining room windows into the kitchen beyond.) Oscar's enjoying home-cooked meals and for once his alimony payments are on time, courtesy of Felix's penny-strangling ways. When Felix mentions that his half of the rent is $120 a month, join the audience in a collective groan of nostalgia for 1965 Manhattan real estate prices.”
Jenny Block, Edge Magazine
“The set by Timothy R. Mackabee is nothing short of remarkable. It is multi-tiered and multi-roomed, including a complete kitchen and outdoor space beyond the apartment’s windows that are opened and closed throughout the show. A complete apartment fills the theater.”
Lindsey Wilson, D Magazine
“Timothy R. Mackabee’s marvelous thrust set, sporting plenty of crown molding and splendid attention to detail (get a load of that retro kitchen and bathroom, if you’re sitting on the right side), works in magnificent tandem with the rest of the top-notch production design. The meticulous groundwork laid by all involved that results in a such a breezy and hilarious show make this an Odd Couple worth rediscovering.”
Mark Lowry, theatrejones.com
“On Timothy R. Mackabee’s gorgeous set of a pre-war Riverside Drive apartment in Manhattan —the windows reveal the bricks of the building next door, and Broken Chord’s sound design gives the constant hum of city noise—Moriarty takes great advantage of the thrust part of the stage, on which Mastro, in particular, exhibits a knack for physical comedy.”
Steven Doyle, Crave DFW
“Bringing to life Simon’s story is set designer Timothy R. Mackabee (DTC debut), with a true-to-life representation of an Upper Westside Manhattan apartment. Audience members will get a look into all corners of the apartment, including a view at buildings next door.”
Clare Floyd DeVries, devriesdesigndiary.blogspot.com
“Designed by Timothy R. Mackabee, these apartment walls are high and lavishly detailed with a built-in shelving unit and miles of moldings, more miles of crown-moldings, and an elaborate two-level wood parquet floor. Crisply built. As you'd expect at DTC, the furniture is good, including a period chandelier and great a '50s Modern style audio console.
The play doesn't actually require much: it's the realistic living / dining room of a NYC apartment with an operable window, an entry door, a door to the kitchen, and door(s) off to the bathroom and the rest of the apartment.
Of course, it's good practice to include realistic views through those doors and windows, to see a bit of the apartment building hall, a hint of kitchen, enough view of the rest of the apartment to make the place feel real. But this set goes faaaar beyond this. Through the windows you see a next door apartment that shares the light well - complete with drapes and lamps. Through the kitchen door and its windows you see the kitchen... can watch Felix or Oscar open the refrigerator. Or throw spaghetti linguine at it. Very nicely realized.”
Michael Flesman, theflashlist.com
“The highly architectural thrust stage set design (Timothy R. Mackabee) is replete with stately crown moldings, vintage furnishings, a retro rotary dial telephone, vinyl record albums, table-top doilies, and even a sherbet-green upright vacuum cleaner which the bow-tie clad Felix puts to use during one of his “cooking, cleaning, crying” spells.”
John Garcia, The Column
“Dallas Theater Center's The Odd Couple proved to be more than just a revival of a Broadway hit from the past. Through making the most of every trick in the book, this production stood on its own. One of the most impressive of these "tricks" was the set design by Tim Mackabee. The moment my wife and I walked into the theater, I knew we were in for a treat. The Odd Couple has traditionally been done on a proscenium stage. Mackabee created a pseudo-theater in the round experience with an innovative thrust-configuration unlike anything I've seen before. The unique nature of the extremely adaptable Wyly Theater allowed Mackabee to create a multi-tiered thrust that beautifully recreated Oscar Madison's living room. This set was far more than a mere facade visible to the audience. Through Oscar's windows you could see across the alley into the neighboring apartment, complete with window dressing and furniture. Through doors the audience only briefly sees fully realized rooms, creating a greater sense of realism for both the audience and cast member. The capstone of the set is the extension of the room's crown molding that extends over the stage creating an invisible fourth-wall, giving the audience the very real sense that they are looking into this apartment from the outside. This set must be seen to be appreciated. This was Macabee's first project with the Dallas Theater Center and my hope is it begins a long relationship as his work on this production has been some of the most innovative and effective I have seen.”