RSP

RACT - Ripon Area Community Theatre

From the Top

Act One

DSCF0002 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.

2023 Season

<h2>Spring Play — Arsenic and Old Lace</h2>
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 Auditions: March 24th and 25th 
Performance: June 2nd, 3rd & 4th
Mortimer Brewster is excited to announce his engagement to his spinster aunts, only for his news to take a backseat - or rather, a window seat, which is whereMortimer discovers a dead body; put there by his aunts. Mortimer finds himself try to manage a house filled with homicidal family members, a fugitive plastic surgeon, a team of cops and his fiance. And did we mention the 12 bodies buried in the basement? Or is it 13?
A dark comedy, by Joseph Kesselring, Arsenic and Old Lace is a theatre classic.
Cast size: <11 Men, 3 women
Ages 20 & up
 
<h2> </h2>
<h2>Summer Musical — A-Wop Bop A-Loo-Bop</h2>
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 Auditions: May 12-13 
Performance: August 11th, 12th & 13th
We're going back to the era of poodle skirts, malt shops and of course, Rock n' Roll. Join Roberta "Ruby" Lester and her friends as they fight to keep the music they love on the air. Featuring classics such as, “Rock Around The Clock”, “Jailhouse Rock”, and “Tutti Frutti,” you'd be square if you miss out on this daddy-o. Ya dig? 
Cast size: 11 to 20 performers
Ages 12 & up
 
 
<h2>Radio Play — It's a Wonderful Life</h2>
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 Auditions: November 5th & 6th 
Performance: December 15th, 16th & 17th
The classic story of George Bailey and how one man can have the greatest effect on those around and never realize it. George's guardian angel, Clarence, is called upon to help him during the most trying time of George's life. Clarence shows him how the world might have been without him and George learns ihe's had a wonderful life after all.
Performed as a radio play, there will be a strong emphasis on vocal performance, as well as live sound effects created by the actors; producing everything from the sound of a punch to walking through snow.  The production will be performed in front of live audiences and recorded for future radio broadcast.
Ages 12 & up