VALLEY WEEKEND : FRIDAY : ODDER COUPLE

Cal State Northridge starts out its theater season with a female version of Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple.”

Director Lillian Lehman wasn’t just getting creative with her interpretation of the play. The female version was scripted by Simon himself and performed on Broadway by Sally Struthers and Rita Moreno.

Lehman had a sentimental reason for choosing the play. It was the first show that Lehman, who is a professional actress in addition to teaching at CSUN, acted in after moving to Los Angeles.

While some parts of the female version aren’t as racy as the original, Lehman said, the core of the play is preserved. Florence and Olive--formerly Felix and Oscar--are thrust together as roommates when Florence’s marriage is breaking up.

“They deal with a lot of female things,” Lehman said. “They like to get together and ‘dish.’ And they play trivial pursuit instead of poker.”

* “The Odd Couple” at CSUN’s Little Theatre, 18111 Nordhoff St., in Northridge, through Oct. 1. Performances are Wednesday at 7 p.m., Thursday-Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. Tickets are $5-$9. Call (818) 885-3093.

SATURDAY

TALK RADIO OF ANOTHER KIND

Turn off your CD-rom. Wells Fargo Radio Theater is giving its second live performance this year, this one a romantic comedy called “Hollywood Cowgirl.”

“Hollywood Cowgirl” follows the adventures of Katy Meadows (Philece Sampler) as she hooks up with a Wild West show headed by Col. Coltrain (Denver Pyle), comes to Hollywood, and gets a stunt extra job in silent movies in the 1920s.

Co-founder Rosemary Alexander said the dramas are, essentially, a “living exhibit” at the Autry Museum of Western Heritage. The theater shares the museum’s goal of illuminating the history of the American West, she said. Alexander co-wrote the script with Walt LaRue, who worked as a rodeo rider and film stunt extra.

A reception with the cast follows the show, and all proceeds go to benefit the YMCA.

Miss the live show? Hear it as it was meant to be heard on KSCA-FM 101.9 at 7 p.m. Sunday.

* “Hollywood Cowgirl” is at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Autry Museum of Western Heritage, 4700 Western Heritage Way, in Griffith Park. Tickets are $15. Call (213) 667-2000 Ext. 317.

SUNDAY

VIVA HOT HOUSE!

After a packed first performance Sept. 10, Viva Goldenberg! is back at the Hot House in North Hollywood on Sunday night.

This surf-bossa nova band is headed by guitarist Mark Goldenberg, who, along with bassist Kevin McCormick, also back Jackson Browne. Drummer Rob Ladd and percussionist Debra Dobkin round out the lineup.

By the way, that’s surf and bossa nova. Goldenberg says they haven’t been able to meld the two genres into one of their songs, which include “Single White Goldenberg” and “The Unbearable Lightness of Being Goldenberg.”

“When you write instrumental,” Goldenberg says, “you can call the tune anything you want.”

* Viva Goldenberg! plays at 9 p.m. at the Hot House, 12123 Riverside Drive in North Hollywood. No cover or minimum. Call (818) 506-7058.