The Franklin College Music Department will present Ruthless!, written by Joel Paley and Marvin Laird, on Friday, Nov. 7 and Saturday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. Both shows will be performed in the Clarence E. and Inez R. Custer Theatre in Old Main. Old Main is located at 101 Branigin Blvd, Franklin, on the corner of Monroe Street and Branigin Boulevard.

Tickets for Ruthless! are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at the door on a first come, first served basis. Both cash and credit card will be accepted for payment. The Old Main doors will open thirty minutes before the performance.

Ruthless! is a comedic tale of Judy Denmark, a naïve 1950’s housewife, and her cute but sociopathic daughter, Tina, who dreams of becoming a Broadway star. Both Judy and Tina test the limits of their ambition and stop at almost nothing to achieve their dreams.

Assistant professor of music, director of vocal choral activities and music department co-chair Eric DeForest, D.M.A., was raised on musical theater, and he carries that passion to this day. Ruthless! will be his third production to direct.

“I love so many things about directing. It’s exciting to figure out which musical to choose that will showcase our students,” said DeForest. “It’s an incredible thrill to watch their skills develop and see them step outside of themselves doing things they didn’t think possible. There’s nothing better!”

DeForest launched the College’s annual fall musical tradition to showcase student talent. This year’s cast includes musicians from all class years, from freshmen to seniors. “There is an old adage in running a business that says you must have your ‘aces in their place.’ That is what we have with this cast,” DeForest said.

This year’s cast includes:

Maxwell Pipkin, of Mooresville, as Sylvia St. Croix.

Victoria Abston, of Crawfordsville, as Judy Denmark.

Carly Cravens, of Indianapolis, as Tina Denmark.

Emma Jones, of Greenwood, as Myrna Thorn.

Rylee Grimes, of Greensburg, as Lita Encore.

Lillian Voils, of Nashville, as Eve.

Lucy Cooper, of Sheridan, as Louise Lerman.

Braeden Daggy, of Mooresville, as Newscaster/Judge.

Vicktoria Zook, of Mooresville, as Rachel Hobbs.

For more information, contact the Franklin College Office of Communications at (317) 738-8185.

By: Katie Thoman ’26

Franklin College Pulliam Fellow