Anne Oberbroeckling and Billie McBride star in Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company’s ‘Ripcord,’ by David Lindsay-Abaire. Photo by Michael Ensminger.

The DCPA NewsCenter regularly profiles actors performing in theatre productions throughout the state of Colorado.

MEET ANNE OBERBROECKLING

Marilyn Dunne in Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company’s Ripcord

• Hometown: Long Beach, Calif.
• Home now: Denver
• College: Degree in theatre and English from Clark College in Dubuque, Iowa
• What have you done for us lately? Amanda in the Cherry Creek Theatre Company’s The Glass Menagerie
• What is Ripcord all about? Well, it is written by David Lindsay-Abaire, so while it can be about one thing, on the surface, it is really about so very much more. But the
  essence is the story of two old gals in an assisted living facility in New Jersey who are polar opposites. They make a bet where one of them wins the room for herself. One is trying to make one angry and the other is trying scare the first one. The bets
  become more complicated and intricate and crazy.
• Most challenging aspect for you as an actor: Marilyn is a mother, grandmother and widow. She is one of the most positive and energetic women I may have ever played. That is a challenge right there. The bets are going to require some technological challenges (so I guess that is the crew, not me, whew.) l have also been basing her on an old friend who passed away from ALS last year. She is my spirit animal on this one.
• What do you love most about this play? I love David Lindsay-Abaire’s outlook on life. It is sweet and funny and slightly off-kilter.
• What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? I want to write, and I continue to make attempts at it Just wait.
• What’s one thing you want to get off your chest? I wish to heck there were much more gender-blind, age-blind and color-blind casting. We are all so darn afraid to take chances with things like that in the U.S. There is so much more of that done in other countries. I remember this quote from an actor who said: “I  want to play the parts that weren’t written for me.” Isn’t that great?

  Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company’s Ripcord: Ticket information
  • Directed by Rebecca Remaly (read her interview with the Daily Camera)
  • Through Oct. 9
  • At the new Grace Gamm Theater in the renovated Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder
  • Performances: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays, plus 7:30 p.m. Thursdays Sept. 29 and Oct. 6. Also: “Tech Tuesday,” 6:30 p.m. Sept. 27. (Includes pre-show happy hour and post-show conversation for $40).
  • Tickets $20-$35
  • 303-440-7826 or BUY ONLINE

Cast list:
Abby Binder: Billie McBride
Marilyn Dunne: Anne Oberbroeckling
Scotty: Michael Bouchard
Benjamin/Lewis: Josh Hartwell
Colleen: Lindsey Pierce
Derek: Kevin Lowry

More ‘In the Spotlife’ profiles:
Meet Carley Cornelius of Colorado Springs TheatreWorks’ Constellations
Meet Megan Van De Hey of the Arvada Center’s Sister Act
Meet Emily Paton Davies of Miners Alley Playhouse’s God of Carnage