Press Release - 2nd Wednesday Theater Presents “Ripcord” at Cotuit Center for the Arts

2nd Wednesday Theater Presents “Ripcord” at Cotuit Center for the Arts

Cotuit Center for the Arts’ 2nd Wednesday Theater will present a staged reading of “Ripcord,” a comic drama by David Lindsay-Abaire, on Wednesday, July 11, at 7:30 PM on the Main Stage. Hanlon Smith-Dorsey is directing.

Lindsay-Abaire, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “Rabbit Hole,” explores adversarial relationships between two old women in the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility. Cantankerous Abby, played by Cathy Smith, is forced to share her sunny room with newly arrived and infuriatingly chipper Marilyn, played by Davien Gould. Abby is determined to get rid of Marilyn by any means necessary. Marilyn, however, is determined to stay, to enjoy the natural light and view of a nearby park.

A seemingly harmless bet between the old 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 these worthy opponents would rather remain hidden.

Smith selected the play “after falling in love with its delightfully wry sense of humor,” she said. “David Lindsay-Abaire is a phenomenally gifted playwright. The characters are facing situations we all will be looking at, whether we like it or not.”

Other cast members are Matthew Gould as Marilyn’s son-in-law, Hanlon Smith-Dorsey as Scotty, and Greg Dorsey as Abby’s son. The production is a family affair; in real life, Davien and Matthew Gould are married, and Cathy Smith and Greg Dorsey are Hanlon Smith-Dorsey’s parents.

Smith-Dorsey grew up on Cape Cod, attended Falmouth Academy, and received his master’s degree in acting from the Goodman Theater School at DePaul University in Chicago. He lives in Philadelphia and is a member of Actor's Equity.

Smith has appeared in numerous plays at Cotuit Center for the Arts, including “Two-Headed,” the first show presented at the center’s current location. She also appeared in “Doubt,” “An Ideal Husband,” and “The Stendahl Syndrome.”

Davien and Matt have acted extensively on the Cape, especially with the Falmouth Theater Guild. Davien was last seen in Cotuit in "Steel Magnolias.”

Other cast members are Matthew Gould as Marilyn’s son-in-law, Hanlon Smith-Dorsey as Scotty, and Greg Dorsey as Abby’s son.

“Ripcord” opened off-Broadway in 2015. The New York Times likened it to a situation comedy not unlike “The Odd Couple,” but with a deeper meaning, noting that Lindsay-Abaire’s characters “often reside somewhere in the gray center of the moral spectrum, and their predicaments tend to elicit complex responses from audiences. Often you find yourself tearing up at what should be funny and laughing at the ostensibly sad.”

Second Wednesday Theater is a monthly play-reading series of rarely performed classics, undiscovered gems, and exciting new works. Admission is free, and wine is available for $5 a glass.

Cotuit Center for the Arts is at 4404 Route 28 in Cotuit. For more information, visit artsonthecape.org or call 508-428-0669.

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What:

2^nd Wednesday Theater presents “Ripcord” by David Lindsay-Abaire

Where:

Cotuit Center for the Arts, 4404 Route 28, Cotuit

When:

Wednesday, July 11, 7:30 PM

Admission:

Free

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