RACT - Ripon Area Community Theatre
From the Top
Act One
Founded in 1996 as the Ripon Summer Players, under the dedicated direction of Ken Hill, our community theatre began as a collaboration between the Ripon Noon Kiwanis club and the Ripon College Theatre department; and has grown into much more. Over the last 25 years we have entertained thousands of audience members, featuring performers as old as 7, and as young as 90.
Over the culmulative history of the Ripon Summer Players, hundreds of actors, ranging in age 7-90+ have performed for thousands of audience members. RSP productions run the gammut of performing Shakespeare, comedies and mysteries.
Ripon College theatre professor, Ken Hill, and his wife, fellow Ripon College professor, Susan Hill, helped found the Ripon Summer Players; with Ken directing the first 21 productions, and Susan co-producing the shows with Ken and serving as costume designer. Ken and Susan stepped down as the primary directors for the Summer Players in 2018.
RSP alumni have been coordinating efforts to continue Summer Player productions, with full support of the Hills; and continuing the partnerships with the Ripon College and Ripon Noon Kiwanis.
Peformances are usually held the first weekend after Memorial Day, in the Ripon College Benstead Theatre, in the Rodman Center for the Performing Arts.
Current Season
2021 Season
Summer Musical - Repeat After Mi (In Quarantine)
Winter - A Christmas Carol (radio play)
RSP History
Past Shows
1996 - You Can't take it With You
1997 - Harvey
1998 - A Murder is Announced
1999 - Plaza Suite
2000 - No Show
2001 - Arsenic and Old Lace
2002 - Murder at the Vicarage
2003 - The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940
2004 - Mornings at Seven
2005 - The Hollow
2006 - A Thurber Carnival
2007 - Laughing Stock
2008 - Rehearsal for Death
2009 - The Curious Savage
2010 - Twelve Angry Jurors
2011 - Leaving Iowa
2012 - Almost, Maine
2013 - Around the World in 80 Days
2014 - The 39 Steps
2015 - Red Herring
2016 - A Midsummer Night's Dream
2017 - The Government Inspector
2018 - Twelfth Night
2019 - Seven Keys to Baldpate
2020 - No Show
2021 Summer - Repeat After Mi (In Quarantine)
2021 Winter - A Christmas Carol (radio play)
Photo Gallery