‘Sweet Delilah Swim Club’ opens this weekend at Richmond Community Theatre

ROCKINGHAM — Merrie Dawkins is coming out of retirement for one last production at Richmond Community Theatre.

This weekend, Dawkins directs “The Sweet Delilah Swim Club,” with two performances scheduled May 10-12 and three May 17-19.

The play — set in North Carolina — is about five women who met in college, becoming “the best of friends” on the swim team, and meet each year for a girl’s weekend at the Sweet Delilah Cottage on the Outer Banks and catch up on each other’s lives, according to Dawkins.

The story follows the characters meeting several times over a three-decade period.

“They’re 44 when we first meet them, and they’re 77 the last time we see them,” Dawkins said. “They live very interesting lives, pretty much lives like a lot of us live, but they all have their stories to tell.”

The characters include a teacher, a lawyer, a “health nut,” a hotel events coordinator and a former nun.

“You can tell they’re very diverse, very delightful women,” Dawkins said. “These are all characters you will like.

“It’s just a really good story,” Dawkins added. “It’s funny, it’s also touching. I guarantee you there are going to be some tears in people’s eyes. It’s life, and that’s the way life is.”

This is the second time RCT has produced the play, written by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten. The first time was more than 20 years ago, when it was titled “The Dixie Swim Club.”

Several years ago, RCT produced another play from the trio: “Always a Bridesmaid.”

The cast — Valjean Hargrove, Angie Hough-Rush, Sharyl Gross, Anitra Robinson and Darla Lovin — are no strangers to the stage and have worked with each other over the years, though not necessarily all in the same production.

“When you have an ensemble, you can tell if the actors are clicking and that’s what makes it successful…you want to watch it, you want to see it, because they’re working all together,” Dawkins said. “I got this almost from the beginning with these ladies.”

There have been several nights during rehearsals, Dawkins said, where someone in the cast had a personal for family related health crisis or death, “and it’s just been amazing to watch these ladies be right there for each other.”

“You would think they were lifelong friends — and they’re not. But they’re there, they’re supportive …it’s beautiful.”

Dawkins acknowledged that May is a busy month, but encourages residents to come check out the play.

“I promise people that if they will take one evening … and come, they will be delighted, they will be happy,” Dawkins said. “It will be money well-spent.

“These people have worked so hard and given up so much of their time — not only my cast, but my crew … — and I would like for them to be rewarded by people coming out and supporting them,” Dawkins said.

Most of the crew members are young people.

“I think that’s great,” Dawkins said. “These are young people that want to be a part of cultural arts, they want to be a part of theater, they want to be a part of something where they can be who they are.”

Dawkins said she’d like to see the arts get as much support as athletics in Richmond County..

“The guys go out and they practice …and they give it all their best, well you hate for nobody to show up and watch them play,” Dawkins said.

“We’re so gifted in this area because we have so many people with cultural arts … and sports … if we want them and we want them to stay, we need to give them our support,” She continued. “It’s just that simple.”

RCT, Dawkins added, is one the longest-running and least-expensive community theaters in the state.

Performances for “The Sweet Delilah Swim Club” start at 7 p.m. May 10-11 and 17-18, and 3 p.m. May 19.

Tickets are available at showtix4u.com. For more information, call 910-997-3765 or visit richmondcommunitytheatre.org.