Theater audiences will be the major beneficiary from a joint venture between the Lincoln Community Playhouse and Crooked Codpiece Company.

The theater organizations are collaborating on two different productions of Neil Simon’s classic comedy “The Odd Couple.”

The Playhouse opens the female version tonight with Karen Statham and Linda Nettland in the lead roles of Olive Madison and Florence Unger, respectively.

Crooked Codpiece comes back Thursday, using the same set and props to perform the original, male version with Tom  Crew and Patrick Lambrecht playing Oscar and Felix, respectively.

“I think it’s a great idea,” said Crew, Crooked Codpiece’s executive director. “They are both the same stories. The problem among the genders are a little different, but still similar.”

Crooked Codpiece had planned to stage Simon’s original last November at another location, but Playhouse artistic director Jeremy Kendall asked the company to hold off because the Playhouse had the female version on its schedule for this month.

“It kind of alarmed me a little bit,” he said. “I was worried because it’s almost the same show. I didn’t know if there was room for two ‘Odd Couples.’”

Crew and Crooked artistic director Lambrecht, both longtime Playhouse supporters, agreed to step aside.

“They were totally cool about it,” Kendall said.

Shortly thereafter, Playhouse management began kicking around the idea of staging both versions to generate more interest. Kendall said he would do it if the Playhouse brought Crooked Codpiece on board.

To sweeten the deal, in addition to saying thanks for stepping aside earlier, the Playhouse will give Crooked Codpiece two weekends in the future to do another show of its choice at the Playhouse.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for us,” Crew said. “We’re happy.”

Kendall is directing the female version, which opens with Olive and Florence playing Trivial Pursuit with their friends instead of poker, which is part of the original. Simon penned the second “Odd Couple” in 1985, 20 years after the first.

Kendall said plot points and even some of the dialogue is the same as the original.

“But there’s a different quality or tone to it,” he said. “Simon wanted to see how women would approach the same scenario. He created a challenge for himself.”

Nettland is a Playhouse veteran, and was last seen in a supporting role in “A Streetcar Named Desire.” She said she jumped at the chance to do comedy. Her resume is packed with dramatic performances.

“This character, Florence, I’m a little bit like her, but I’m not as fanatical as her,” Nettland said. “I am an organize freak.”

Statham is known primarily for her work behind the stage rather than on it. This will be her largest role to date.

“I was pretty shocked and thrilled (to get the role),” said Statham, who also relates to her character, noting her house is always a mess because of her two “big boy dogs.”

“I audition a lot, but I seldom, if ever, go in expecting or thinking I’m going to get a part.”

Lambrecht is directing Crooked Codpiece’s production. The eight-person cast has been rehearsing at a warehouse in north Lincoln.

The small, independent company is known for producing comedies with Lambrecht and Crew often directing and/or appearing in them. Its most recent project was Lincoln playwright Jim Hanna’s “Pelvic Variations,” staged last April at The Loft at The Mill.

“We’re hoping each (‘Odd Couple’) production builds audiences for the other one,” Crew said.

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.