Arlington Friends of the Drama

December 4 - 13, 2026
RIPCORD
by David Lindsay-Abaire 
Stage Director: Nancy Curran Willis

Stage Manager: Allison Rollings

Production Manager: Ginger Webb

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A sunny room on an upper floor is prime real estate in the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility, so when the cantankerous Abby is forced to share her quarters with new-arrival Marilyn, she has no choice but to get rid of the infuriatingly chipper woman by any means necessary. A seemingly harmless bet between the women quickly escalates into a dangerous game of one-upmanship that reveals not just the tenacity of these worthy opponents, but also deeper truths that each would rather remain hidden.

Full information on the audition page.
 

Audition Schedule 

Auditions: Tuesday, August 11, 7-10pm and Thursday, August 13, 7-10pm

Callbacks Saturday, August 15, 1-4pm

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PRODUCTION DATES

Friday, December 4, 2026, at 8 pm

Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 8 pm

Sunday, December 6, 2026, at 2 pm

Thursday, December 10, 2026, at 8 pm

Friday, December 11, 2026, at 8 pm

Saturday, December 12, 2026, 2 pm (special matinee)

Sunday, December 13, 2026, at 2 pm

Sign up to audition

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Roles​

Arlington Friends of the Drama is committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage performers of all races and ethnicities, gender identities, sexualities and abilities to audition. 

Please note: Ages listed are suggested by the playwright for the characters.  Actors must be able to believably play within the suggested age range.   

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The characters in RIPCORD are written within the gender binary as part of the script’s structure and relationships.  We encourage performers to audition for any role they feel comfortable playing.  We welcome trans and nonbinary performers, and we will approach casting with care, openness, and respect for both performer identity and the needs of the piece. 

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ABBY BINDER  Age 70’s-80’s, female
A notoriously cantankerous,sarcastic, and fiercely independent resident of Bristol Place Senior Living Facility. She has been in this room for years and prefers being by herself.
She’s prickly and prefers being by herself. But she can’t afford a private room, so uses her prickly nature to drive roommates away. She carries a deep emotional resentment of the past which she fiercely guards and uses her sharp, mean streak to intimidate anyone who gets too close.

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MARILYN DUNNE  Age 70’s-80’s, female
A resident of the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility and new roommate of ABBY.
She is bubbly, outgoing, fiercely optimistic, and seemingly impossible to upset. Beneath her cheerful exterior, Marilyn is highly competitive and hides a quiet strength that enables her to go toe to toe with Abby.

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SCOTTY  Age 20's-30's, male
A kind-hearted and practical resident aide at the facility. He genuinely cares for the residents but is frequently forced to act as a reluctant referee between Abby and Marilyn. He also harbors acting aspirations. 

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COLLEEN  Age 30's-40’s, female
Marilyn’s happily married daughter who enjoys participating in her mother’s pranks. This actor also plays the WOMAN IN WHITE, a mysterious, lullaby-singing character in a haunted warehouse attraction.

 

DEREK  Age 30’s-40’s, male
Marilyn’s easygoing son-in-law (married to her daughter, Colleen) who often helps execute
the women’s escalating capers. This actor also doubles as the ZOMBIE BUTLER in the Halloween maze and the MASKED MAN.

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BENJAMIN  Age 40’s, male 
Abby’s estranged son (a former drug addict attempting to reconnect with his mother). The actor also doubles as LEWIS (a skydiving instructor) and the CLOWN in the haunted warehouse.

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