The OSF veteran, who’s spent a lifetime playing ‘mothers, maids and weirdos,’ will portray a, uh, difficult woman in Rogue Theater Company’s production of ‘Ripcord’
By Jim Flint
Eileen DeSandre has played everything from a Shakespearean clown to a sex therapist to a woman who believes she’s Joan of Arc. Next up: a role in Rogue Theater Company’s “Ripcord” as a senior living facility resident named Abby Binder with a razor-sharp tongue and a temperament as sunny as a thundercloud.
“She’s a bitch,” DeSandre said cheerfully.
There are certainly through lines among the characters DeSandre has played. A 16-season veteran of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the youthful 78-year-old says she’s spent a lifetime playing “mothers, maids and weirdos” — character roles that have defined her career from the start, although more recently she has taken lead roles in a variety of theaters.
When RTC Artistic Director Jessica Sage approached her about “Ripcord,” DeSandre jumped at the chance. She had worked with Sage in 2019 as a character in “Fragments,” the semi-autobiographical play written by Sage that launched Rogue Theater Company.
“Jessica called and asked me who I’d like to play in ‘Ripcord,’” DeSandre said. Abby appealed to her right away. “I fell in love with the character. It grabbed me from the very beginning.”
Up to mischief
In the play, Abby is known for her sharp tongue and ability to speak her mind, often to the amusement and exasperation of those around her. Despite her age, she’s capable of extreme levels of mischief.
“Ripcord,” by David Lindsay-Abaire, is a comedic play set in the shared room of two residents at a senior living facility. The play centers on a bet between Abby, a grouchy woman who wants to keep her room to herself, and Marilyn, a more optimistic woman who wants to switch beds. Abby has a history that suggests she’s survived a challenging past while maintaining her sharp, independent spirit. Her strong sense of self and a playful nature make her a compelling and engaging presence.
“Ripcord” is a reunion of sorts. Cast members include Mark Bedard, with whom DeSandre worked in OSF’s “The Servant of Two Masters” in 2009, and Nancy Carlin, an OSF alum whom she has known since 1993.
Other cast members are Barret O’Brien, Jamie Ann Romero and Stephen Michael Spencer. Former OSF Artistic Director Henry Woronicz directs.
Performances, all at 1 p.m., are scheduled Wednesdays through Sundays, July 16 through Aug. 3, at RTC’s Richard L. Hay Center at Grizzly Peak Winery, 1600 E. Nevada St., Ashland.
A Jersey gal
Originally from New Jersey, DeSandre earned a BA in French and theater at Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania and an MFA from Pennsylvania State University. She has performed in regional theaters across the country.
She enjoys the intimacy of smaller venues but also relishes the energy and reach of larger stages.
“The way we used to talk about it at OSF,” she said, “was if you’re in the Black Swan (predecessor to the Thomas Theatre), you speak at a normal level, and in the Bowmer, you play a little more toward the audience.”
In the Elizabethan? You learn to bounce your voice off the walls, she said.
An Ashland resident, DeSandre bookended her role in Sage’s “Fragments” with solo performances in “Becoming Dr. Ruth” in Richmond, Virginia, and Orlando, Florida, portraying Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the diminutive, pioneering and beloved sex therapist.
An interesting detail about those performances: Rather than adjusting her vocal projection for different theater sizes, she modified her timing to suit the age of the audience.
“At Virgina Repertory Theatre, I did it in 1:45,” she said. “But because the audience was older in Orlando, I did it in 93 minutes. We didn’t cut anything. I just did it faster.”
Good old dad
Is there a particular moment on stage that stands out in her memory?
“Yes. It was during a play in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, years ago when my father was in the audience,” she said.
Her character’s son says, “For my new job, they want me to go to Trenton.”
DeSandre, slipping into her native Trenton accent — and projecting loud enough to be heard in Trenton, 30 miles away — shouts, “NEW JERSEY?!?”
Her father couldn’t help himself. He laughed hard and long.
“I had to hold for my father’s laugh,” DeSandre said, laughing herself.
Is there any role still remaining on her bucket list?
“I’m not sure. This may be my last hurrah,” she said. She regards OSF as her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “I was so lucky to be a part of OSF in its golden age.”
Still, whether or not another role awaits her, DeSandre reflects on her journey with evident gratitude. After decades of doing what she loves — on stages large and small, across the country and close to home — she’s earned whatever comes next, whether it’s another curtain call or simply a well-deserved break.
For more information about RTC plays or to purchase tickets, visit roguetheatercompany.com.
Jim Flint’s Curtain Call column publishes on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. Email Jim at [email protected].
