Ripcord

The Roustabouts Theatre Co. brings Ripcord to Scripps Ranch Theatre starting Thursday, October 8, with the run continuing through November 1. It's a comedy by David Lindsay-Abaire, who won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Rabbit Hole. The play centers on the escalating war of wills between Abby, who's sharp-tongued and guarded, and Marilyn, who's relentlessly cheerful. What starts as a simple roommate standoff spirals into outrageous schemes and unexpected twists, with a bittersweet ending. At its heart, it's a story about an unlikely friendship, stubborn pride, and what it takes to shake someone out of their shell.

Artistic director and founder Phil Johnson is directing this one, and the cast is full of San Diego regulars. Linda Libby takes the lead as Abby Binder; she was the first woman awarded Actor of the Year by the SD Critics Circle. Eileen Bowman plays Marilyn Dunn, a San Diego native best known for opening the 61st Academy Awards as Snow White. They're joined by John DeCarlo as Scotty, Samantha Ginn as Colleen and the Woman in White, Eddy Lukovic as Benjamin, Lewis, and the Clown, and Matthew Javier as Derek, the Zombie Butler, and the Masked Man.

This is the 10th year for The Roustabouts, a local company that's been staging plays around the city for a decade now. Ripcord is their latest production, and with the cast and crew coming from right here in town, it's a good chance to see some familiar faces on stage.

Most performances are in the evenings at 7:30 PM, with matinees at 2 PM on October 11, 18, 25, and 31. Tickets are $45, and the show runs from October 8 through November 1 at Scripps Ranch Theatre, 9783 Avenue of Nations, San Diego, CA 92131.