Act One

Founded in 1996 as the Ripon Summer Players, under the dedicated direction of Ken Hill, our community theatre began as a collaboration between the Ripon Noon Kiwanis club and the Ripon College Theatre department; and has grown into much more. Over the last 25 years we have entertained thousands of audience members, featuring performers as old as 7, and as young as 90. 

Over the culmulative history of the Ripon Summer Players, hundreds of actors, ranging in age 7-90+ have performed for thousands of audience members.  RSP productions run the gammut of performing Shakespeare, comedies and mysteries.

Ripon College theatre professor, Ken Hill, and his wife, fellow Ripon College professor, Susan Hill, helped found the Ripon Summer Players; with Ken directing the first 21 productions, and Susan co-producing the shows with Ken and serving as costume designer.  Ken and Susan stepped down as the primary directors for the Summer Players in 2018.  

RSP alumni and additional community members have come together to continue the tradition of community theatre in Ripon, in continued partnerships with the Ripon Noon Kiwanis. 

 

2021 

Act Two

In 2022 the Ripon Summer Players expanded its production plans, with multiple productions throughout the years, starting with their first musical production, "Repeat After Mi: In Quarantine".
The community theatre group has now rebranded as the Ripon Area Community Theatre, with plans to produce main stage shows in the spring and summer, with additional, smaller performance opportunities (radio plays, murder mysteries, variety shows, etc.) at different times during the year.