PRESENTS
RIPCORD
Written by
David Lindsay-Abaire
Directed by Laura LaCour
CAST
Abby: Vicki Kerns
Marilyn: Kathy Murphy
Colleen: Morgan Lee
Scotty: Matt Sameck
Derek: David Bunnell
Benjamin: Jeremy Walter
Production Team
Director
Laura LaCour
Stage Manager
Jennifer Brandt
Costume Design
Nancy Mazzia
Lighting Design
Zeb Johnson
Set Design
Laura LaCour & Jennifer Brandt
Light Operator
Leo LaCour
Sound & Projection Operator
Erin Brown
Sound & Projection Design
Chris LaCour
Crew
Minnie Washington & Kaz Brandt
Photographer
Jeremy Walter
Set Crew
Laura LaCour, Vicki Kerns, Jeremy Walter, Matt Hentges, Jennifer Brandt, David Bunnell, Morgan Lee
The Setting
Bristol Place Senior Living Facility in suburban New Jersey, and a few other nearby locations.
There will be one 12-minute intermission
DIRECTORS NOTES
Dear audience member and fantastic person who supports live theatre,
I am both jealous and excited for you to be experiencing this show for the first time. You know that feeling when you share a treasured movie or show with a friend, and when they finally sit down to watch it with you, you watch them to see if they’re going to connect with the same parts that you do?
I have been so eager throughout this process to get to this day, to look around and see who connects with Ripcord the way I did when I first read the script. Being in a room full of people enjoying themselves and connecting through the story being told on stage is one of the many beautiful faces of theatre. Whenever you’ve happened to come across this little letter to you, dear audience member, please take a moment and think about the strangers that sat in the dark with you today and laughed along with you. (Maybe even cried a little? Eh?) These people get you. The people on stage get you. The people backstage and in the booth get you. I know this show isn’t going to make people break out in group hugs and solve the ills of society – but it is my sincere hope that it will give our audience moments of connection. Even if they’re connecting over a shared hatred of f-bombs, they’re still connecting.
It’s been an honor to be part of the team that made these moments happen.
Vicki Kerns
(Abby)
Vicki is so thrilled to be back on the Bell Road Barn stage again she might just jump out of an airplane! Playing the role of the curmudgeonly Abby Binder is going to go on record as one of her most favorite roles in over 50 years of being involved in community theatre. She was last seen on the Bell Road Barn stage as Monica Breedlove in “The Bad Seed” in 2023 and as Betty Meeks in “The Foreigner” in 2022. She would like to thank the cast and crew for sharing this journey and she would also like to thank her family and friends (you know who you are) for their unwavering support. Enjoy the ride and don’t forget to pull the ripcord, baby!
Kathy Murphy
(Marilyn)
Kathy is thrilled to be back at Bell Road Barn after a long absence. Her previous Bell Road Barn shows include “Canterbury Tales”, “Spoon River Anthology” (All three productions 1982, 1992 and 2002), “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, “Black Comedy”, and her favorite role of Salome in “The Robber Bridegroom”. Kathy just finished up another David Lindsay-Abaire show playing Nat in “Rabbit Hole” with The Summit Theatre Group. Other KC theaters she has performed in include The Unicorn Theatre, Theatre for Young America, OCTA, Leawood Stage Company, The Corbin Theatre and The Barn Players. Kathy sends a huge thank you to Bell Road Barn, Laura, Jennifer, Nancy and this VERY talented cast for their brilliant work! She sends her love to her husband Bill and son Caleb.
Matt Sameck
(Scotty)
Matt previously appeared in Bell Road’s productions of Silent Sky, The Foreigner, and Hollywood Holidays, in addition to Corbin Theatre’s production of Suite Surrender last year in Liberty. He was a member of the improv company Comedy City for over 10 years and has appeared in several film and commercial projects around KC, including two Tech N9ne music videos. His theatrical credits include Deathtrap with Pacifica Spindrift Players (Pacifica, CA), The Miss Firecracker Contest with PTD Productions (Ypsilanti, MI), and other productions in the San Francisco Bay area. He’s eternally grateful to his wife and son for their support.
David Bunnell
(Derek)
David was born and raised in Spokane, Washington where he performed with the Spokane Theatrical Company. He attended Brigham Young University where he earned degrees in mathematics and theater and had opportunities to perform in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; The Foreigner; and Handing Down the Names. He also played Claudio in Much Ado about Nothing with the Provo Theater Company. After a long break, and a move to Missouri, he returned to the stage last year in Corbin Theater’s Murder on the Orient Express. David is grateful for this opportunity and wants to thank the Director and cast for their support.
Morgan Lee
(Colleen)
Morgan is excited to make her KC acting debut with Bell Road Barn Players. She has been in the director’s chair for the last 5 years as a theater teacher at a local middle school. When she’s not acting, Morgan can be found spending time with her family, taking care of her plants, reading, and traveling. She wants to thank everyone at Bell Road Barn Players for being so supportive of her re-entrance into theater society and her family for supporting this new adventure!
Jeremy Walter
(Benjamin)
Jeremy is excited to make his debut with the Bell Road Barn Players.
He’s seen many wonderful shows they’ve done, like An Ideal Husband (the actor who played Lord Goring was magnificently bald), and Bad Seed (the actor who played Leroy was enchantingly unwashed), and The Comedy of Errors (the actor who played Dromio was spectacularly hatted).
But this is the first time he has ever performed for them.
Ever.
Of all the plays Jeremy has done in his illustriously gilded career, this has been the latest.
Much love to cast and crew. Thank you for supporting community theatre!
Laura LaCour
(Director)
Laura’s most recent directing ventures were The Miss Firecracker Contest with River City Community Players, and The Red Velvet Cake War with Robidoux Resident Theatre. She last appeared on stage as Princess Natalya (Murder on The Orient Express) at The Corbin, and first appeared on stage as Baker #2 in The King’s Creampuffs at Whitmore Boles Elementary in Dearborn, Michigan. Her 4th grade teacher said she was, “loud enough.”
When not filling her cup with theatre folk, she is feeding stray cats and making her husband nervous there will be more cats. If anyone would like a cat, please see Laura during intermission or after the show.
Laura is so grateful Bell Road gave her the opportunity to direct this wonderfully written play and is humbled by the dedication and hard work of the cast and crew. She hopes you laughed up some abs and shed a tear while watching this show, and she thanks you for supporting live theatre.
Jennifer Brandt
(Stage Manager)
Jennifer is a rockstar. We’re talking like Robert Plant, Joan Jett, Alice Cooper & Bono all rolled into one Rock Star level. We are happy to have her on board with this production.
SPECIAL THANKS
Park University, Park Campus Safety, Bobbi Shaw, City Theatre of Independence, and Shari Wassergord.
A Special Thanks to Kathy & Bill Murphy for donating items for the set dressing.
Special Thanks to Grace Bunnell for the paintings.
SAVE THE DATE!
Our annual fall fundraiser party will be Friday, September 20th. Get ready for a barn-raising good time!.
OUR THEATRE PARTNERS
Special Thanks to our Season Partners and Sponsors
The Newburger Foundation
and
Park University
Thank you for your support of local community theatre.
To continue your support, so that we can continue to bring you quality productions, please consider making a financial contribution to our organization. Bell Road Barn Players is 501(c)3 Non-Profit organization.