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The Odd Couple Meets The Golden Girls?
PACA stages touching comedy Ripcord
2 hours ago
James Wallace
Celebrate Women's History month with the latest production at PACA – Ripcord tells the comedic story of two female leads living in a retirement community.
BEGINNING FRIDAY, MAR. 13*
When a cranky woman who enjoys her space is forced to share her room with a chipper new arrival to a senior living facility, you get Ripcord. The newest show at PACA is directed by Howard Lang, with Kenna Stevens assisting and managing the stage. It's the perfect play to celebrate Women's History Month, featuring two female leads: Peggy Hauser as Abby and Betsy Butoryak as Marilyn. The women decide on a game to remedy their situation, and as they try to one-up each other, hilarity ensues.
"It's basically a character study between two women – as the play goes on, you understand why they behave as they do," explains Butoryak. She adds, "It's a mixture of comedy, self-awareness, and family." The cast is rounded out by Bryan Toy, Coreen Scott, Bryan Prior, and Zachery Hoffman as Scotty, "the beleaguered orderly that has to put up with the women," says Butoryak.
The show was written as a two-act comedy in 2015 by Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole, Kimberly Akimbo, Good People). But it is often described as more of a "dramedy," amusing and moving at once, with darkness and a focus on life and death. The original debut was off-Broadway, directed by David Hyde-Pierce, with Marylouise Burke and Holland Taylor in the lead roles.
This is a family-friendly show with a runtime of about an hour, with six evening shows and one Sunday matinee on opening weekend. It seems like the perfect way to shake off spring fever. If you spend any time on social media or watch the local news, you may know that there's been some recent turmoil at PACA. Butoryak wants you to know, "PACA is back. We are better than ever, and we need your support."
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays through Mar. 21 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Mar. 15 at 2 p.m. // PACA, 1505 State St. // Tickets and info: tickets.eriereader.com
*The opening night of this show has changed since the publication of our print issue. It will open on Friday, Mar. 13
