STAGE AND SCREEN actor Jack Stauffer spent most of his career in Los Angeles and New York, so it's no surprise that when he read about a potential part with Antioch's Hapgood Theatre Company that he had no idea where the riverside community was.

But the possibility of playing Willy Loman in the classic "Death of a Salesman" was so enticing that the Salinas resident decided to go where the work was. He drove right up, auditioned and was quickly cast in this role of a lifetime.

Fast-forward a year later and Stauffer is cast in another great role — that of directing the famous Neil Simon comedy "The Odd Couple," again for Hapgood Theatre Company. For him, it's well worth the long drive, and he can always camp out at his mother-in-law's in San Francisco.

"Anything this small company does I think is important to support," the former "Battlestar Galactica" actor said. "... I really love (Hapgood founders) Josy and Jason (Miller). They're a young couple trying to put a professional theater in a working class area. I respected Josy's work ethic and everything that she was trying to do."

Stauffer says that while Josy Miller loves to do "cutting-edge stuff," the object here is to do plays that are fun to do and also will pack the theater.

"This is a signature Neil Simon play — the play that made him famous," he said. "It's a classic."

The Hapgood Theatre Company focused last season

"We are thrilled to kick off this season with Neil Simon's comedic masterpiece," she said of show, which opens Friday at the Nick Rodriguez Community Center theater.

Stauffer, too, is pleased to have the opportunity to direct "The Odd Couple," one of the top five comedies done worldwide.

"Everybody does it and it holds up well today," he said. " The comedy is in the words and in the relationships. It's as valuable today as 40 years ago. People relate to it; they know the characters and they love to watch them. That's why you do a play like this."

Stauffer, who previously directed at the Magic Circle Theatre in Carmel Valley, considered making changes to the 1965 comedy but decided against it.

"When you are doing an 'Odd Couple,' you can try to put your own twist to it and change things and make it new, but after I looked at it, I said if it ain't broke, don't fix it," he said. "If you stay true to the original material, treat the material with the respect it deserves ... why reinvent this play?"

The play centers on the story of two men, newly divorced and good friends, but with vastly different habits and tastes. An innocent card game quickly deteriorates into a disastrous plan to become roommates. The result is a lot of smashed dishes, feared suicide attempts, leggy blondes and humor galore.

Several years after opening on Broadway, the comedy hit the silver screen with Walter Matthau as the messy Oscar Madison and Jack Lemmon as neat freak Felix Ungar and later was turned into a successful TV series starring Tony Randall and Jack Klugman.

Hapgood's version stars Actors' Equity Association members Michael Barrett Austin of San Francisco as Felix and Allen Pontes of Sacramento.

"Both are quality regional actors — they are a delight to work with and are professional — they've made my job easy," Stauffer said. "If you play the characters honestly, then the audience will relate to them, and I think we've done this and people will enjoy this show." Others in the cast include Julie Anchor (Gwendolyn Pigeon), Sheila Devitt (Cecily Pigeon), John Hale (Murray), Brian O'Connor (Vinnie), Robert Richardson (Speed), Michael Sally (Roy), while Jason Miller is set designer.

Theatergoers will also see a reduction in ticket prices this season as the small professional troupe tries to attract numbers at the box office.

"I want to do whatever we can to attract an audience," Stauffer said. "You have to take stock. In Antioch, which is very economically depressed ... you have to put it in their pocket range."

'THE MIRAcLE WORKER' OPENS: Also Friday, El Campanil Children's Theatre opens "The Miracle Worker" for one weekend only. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St.

Winner of the 1960 Tony Award for Best Play, William Gibson's "The Miracle Worker" explores the life of Helen Keller (Jordyn Foley of Brentwood) and her teacher, Annie Sullivan (Brandi Church of Antioch).

The play focuses on the early life of Keller, who lost her sight and hearing due to a fever in infancy, and the arrival of her governess, a fiery Irish immigrant, who taught her to communicate. Based on Keller's memoirs, the heartwarming story is full of physical action and has funny and touching moments.

Jason Pitak of Antioch stars as Captain Keller and Ally Moffatt of Brentwood plays and his wife, Kate.

Other cast members include Ryan Enriguez of Brentwood as James Keller; Evelyn Owens of Pittsburg as Aunt Ev; Megan McNesby of Antioch as Viney. Neighbor children are portrayed by Kevin Collins of Antioch and Claire Huang of Brentwood. Sarah Nichols plays Dr. Anagnos, head of the Perkins School of the Blind, and Tahlia Aghily, Amelia Towse, Megan Welker, Zachary Welker and Gabby Barrett play students of the Perkins School. Other cast members are Austin LaBier and Volcana Jupiter.

Sharon Redman directs the production, which will include an American Sign Language interpreter at some of the performances.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (62 and older): $8 for youths (17 and under).

For tickets or more information, call 925-757-9500 or see www.elcampaniltheatre.com.

Reach Judith Prieve at 925-779-7178 or jprieve@bayareanewsgroup.com.