Love, Sex and the I.R.S. opens Thursday (April 15) at the Hill Country Community Theatre, a few hours before the tax filing deadline. So if you are exhausted from looking at Schedules A, B, C and D, then schedule to see this rollicking farce running through April 25.

Playwrights William Van Zandt and Jane Milmore have packed the comedy with twists of fate, sight gags, mistaken identities and a veritable long form of truly funny lines. And Artistic Guest Director Joe Ginnane, connected with the Canterbury Summer Theatre in Michigan City, IN, for the past seven summers, guarantees no "deductions" and no "exemptions" in the laugh department.

The storyline has one of two out-of-work male musician-roommates claiming his friend as his spouse to save money with a joint-filing. When the IRS investigator pays them a visit, one of them has to masquerade as the housewife with the help of a girlfriend who has a romantic interest with the other guy.

"If that doesn't complicate the plot enough for you, add untimely visits by the other fiancée and the mother of one of the men!" says Ginnane, a recent Master of Fine Arts graduate from Texas Tech University.

Curtis Ashby not only takes on the role of gawky musician Leslie Arthur, but the 1999 recipient of HCCT's Phyl Holbert Scholarship, also provided specialty art for the eye-popping apartment that is the play's setting. Ashby is a former staff member with Austin Musical Theatre and Broadway Texas, as well as a Performing Arts Academy instructor."

Jared Lasseter of Austin, who has been on the HCCT stage twice in the past year, portrays Jon Trachtman, the roommate musician. HCCT veteran Priscilla Castañeda of Marble Falls plays girlfriend Connie.

Whitney Niblett of Marble Falls plays perky Kate Dennis, Jon's girlfriend. Although she has done a lot of acting and is the youngest cast member, this is her first appearance on the HCCT stage. Born in Japan, she plans to attend Stephen F. Austin State University next fall where she will major in theater communications and secondary education.

Longtime HCCT volunteer Janice King of Blue Lake portrays the stoic Vivian Trachtman in her debut as an actress. Janice retired in 1997 from El Paso Natural Gas Company, where she sang in the company chorale for 15 years.

Kirk Tatum, who has played everything from an FBI agent, bus driver and coach, to a navy non-com and a mystery writer, is the suit-type IRS auditor, Floyd Spinner. John Mengden, last seen in Deathtrap, is Mr. Jansen, the hard-drinking landlord. HCCT Governor Gil Wulfson plays Arnold Grunion, a shady trench-coated character. All three men are from Horseshoe Bay.

Wendy James of Marble Falls is stage manager. Lighting design and set design are by Harmony Peacock, who holds a BFA from Texas Tech University in Theatre Design and Technology and is master electrician at Southwestern University. She lives in Marble Falls.

The show runs for only nine performances through the April 25th. Curtain is at 8 p.m. nightly with two Sunday matinees at 2:15 p.m.

The Box Office is open weekdays and Saturdays from noon until 4 p.m. Information and group reservations can be obtained by calling 830-798-8944 or using the www.hcct.org web site. Additional ticket locations are at Century 21 office in Marble Falls and the Franklin Bank (previously Highland Lakes Bank) in Kingsland.

HCCT is located at 4003 West FM 2147 in Cottonwood Shores, between Marble Falls and Horseshoe Bay.



For more information on the current performances or tickets, membership, volunteer opportunities (box office, costumes, make-up, props, lighting, set building and painting), auditions or script checkout, please contact the HCCT Box Office at 830-798-8944, or Executive Assistant Jennifer Jones at 830-693-2474.



FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR INTERVIEWS:

Preston F. Kirk, APR, Publicity, HCCT Governor, Spicewood, TX, 830-693-4447; F 693-9898, kirk@281.com