(Dress rehearsal of Little Theatre of Virginia Beach’s production of “Ripchord.” Image by J. Stubbs Photography.)
By Jim Roberts
When “Ripcord” opened off-Broadway in 2015, The New York Times compared it to classic TV sitcoms like “The Odd Couple,” “Roseanne” and “Frasier.”
“It is indeed peppy half-hour television fare that most frequently comes to mind as you watch ‘Ripcord,’” Ben Brantley wrote, “… in which characters tried to outprank (and outscare) one another.”
The comedy, written by David Lindsay-Abaire, is about Abby and Marilyn, who develop an adversarial relationship when forced to share a room in a senior living facility. They make a bet that plays on each other’s emotions—and comedy ensues.
“Mr. Lindsay-Abaire’s script is admirable in its precision and symmetry,” Brantley wrote in his review. “There’s not a comic setup that isn’t balanced by a logically consistent payoff. These elements combine into a perfectly enjoyable evening.”
While it’s billed as a comedy, Sherry Forbes, who is directing the play for the Little Theatre of Virginia Beach, noted that Lindsay-Abaire is best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, “Rabbit Hole.”
“There’s a lot more to the story,” she said. “These women are very independent, very strong. They’re survivors of some very painful experiences that they’ve had in their lives. So I found it to be very interesting the way that the playwright handled the humor, as well as these experiences that these women have dealt with.”
Forbes cast veteran actresses Nancy Bloom as Abby and Kelly Klaers as Marilyn.
“Both are very experienced, fabulous actresses—really and truly,” Forbes said. “They probably could have played either role. That’s how that’s how good they are.”
Klaers is returning to the stage after a 15-year hiatus.
“I’m channeling my inner Rose,” she said, referencing Betty White’s character on another iconic sitcom, “Golden Girls.”
“It’s just a bond that these two women have who are in their 70s or 80s,” she added. “In our case, we’re both in our earlier 60s. … You have to choose if you’re just going to shrivel up and die and take your morsels or try and live with the best that you can.”
Bloom, who has acted in 12 shows at LTVB, said the show is about the universal themes of connectedness and friendship.
“My character kind of goes through a lot during the show,” she said. “It was an opportunity to kind of show range and challenge me—to take the audience along that journey with the character.”
But she added that it’s “hysterically funny.”
“I think we all need a little bit of laughter in our lives these days,” she said. “I just thought it was a great story—there are some great things in it. And as actresses in our area grow old gracefully, there are fewer and fewer roles for women of our age. So that appealed to me.”
Amanda Anderson, Peter Fagan, Michael McOsker and Peter Scheible appear in a variety of supporting roles.
“They’re developing some very nice moments,” Bloom, the director, said in the penultimate week of rehearsals. “I’m learning a lot from these actors and how they bring their interpretations to the characters as well. I’ve had my vision all along, but yet they’ve helped me see where we might need to do this scene a little differently. I’m learning to listen to them, and I’m learning to allow them to explore how they want to grow the characters.”
Little Theatre of Virginia Beach will present “Ripcord” from May 23 through June 15. Show times are 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $25 for adults; discounts are available for seniors (over 60), active-duty military, full-time students, children under 12, and groups of 20 or more. The theater is located at 550 Barberton Drive—off of 24th Street at the oceanfront. For tickets or more information, visit: ltvb.com.
