After a successful home win at Notre Dame against Vanderbilt, I decided to take a drive and check out the Elkhart Civic Theatre, a community troupe in Indiana which performs in the historic, and quite nice, Bristol Opera House. Ripcord, written by David Lindsay-Abaire, is their first production of this year’s season. I saw this playwright’s Pulitzer Prize winning Broadway play Rabbit Hole in 2006. In that piece, a tragic event looms like a dark cloud over a family but there are also elements of comedy. In Ripcord, the same duality exists but not quite as heavy, nor as deep.
Directed by Demarée Dufour-Noneman, this slightly dark situation comedy might be appropriately titled Golden Girls With a Vengeance. Two ladies share a room in the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility. Abby Binder (an assured Jenny DeDario) is, frankly, a pain in the ass and cannot seem to get along with others. Enter Marilyn Dunne, the chatty one with the seemingly sweet simple demeanor. The two concoct a bet. Can Abby be scared? Can Marilyn get mad? Down the rabbit hole they go as the pranks intensify.
Marilyn may have a sweet nature but there is a strong fortress of self-protection lurking underneath the somewhat batty exterior. She is well-played by Stacey Nickel who ensures that we have empathy for her as well as mild repulsion. All of this is light as air dark comedy. There is meanness for sure but it skims along quickly and is forgotten as we move onto the next series of hijinks.
The Elkhart Civic Theatre has given Ripcord a solid production. The pacing is just right for the material and the set design effectively accomplishes a lot of scene changes with its modest budget. The skydiving scene was cleverly executed. In multiple roles, Keith Sarber was memorable, notably as Benjamin, the character who helps ground the plot toward its Golden Girls finale. All in all, an entertaining production of this play by everyone backstage and onstage. Kudos to the company for having bios in the program for the crew.
John Shoup is this theater’s Artistic and Technical Director. In his letter from this season’s brochure, he eloquently encapsulates this company’s DNA. “You see, this is theatre – for and by the community. Over the years, thousands of people have had a hand in creating characters and whole worlds that once existed only in a playwright’s imagination – here, in this place, on our stage. This is where we become family, whether it’s for a few weeks or a few generations. This is where we do what we love – and share what we love – in the hope that you will love it, too.”
Is there a better way to express the passion and purpose of localized community theater? I look forward to seeing another production at the Elkhart Civic Center one day. Because I love it too.