(L-R) John Mengden, Kirk Tatum, Curtis Ashby, Whitney Niblett, Jared Lasseter and Janice King strike their character's characteristic pose.

Tax season bites, but the Hill Country Community Theatre in Marble Falls has the proven antidote for the “Schedule D blues,” a rollicking farce, Love Sex and the IRS, opening its two-week run scant hours before the filing deadline on April 15.

Joe Ginnane, Artistic Guest Director for the show, who earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from Texas Tech in Lubbock, has named a talented mix of actors and volunteers who are expected to produce “1040” laughs?maybe more.

Ginnane previously directed an original work, Artifacts, at Tech and served as producer for the Raider Red One-Act Play Spectacular (all original works). For the past seven summers, three as associate artistic director, Joseph has worked as an actor and director for the Canterbury Summer Theatre in Michigan City, IN.

At Canterbury, he directed the productions of Oklahoma!, South Pacific, State Fair, Mame, The Pajama Game, Clue - the Musical and Play it Again, Sam. Before all that Joseph toured the country for two years as an actor with the Repertory Theatre of America. His acting roles are extensive and too numerous to mention.

...IRS, penned 25 years ago by William Van Zandt and Jane Milmore, provides twists of fate, sight gags and mistaken identities, as well as an encyclopedia of truly funny lines.

In the storyline, two out-of-work male musicians room together, with one of them having claimed his roommate as his spouse to save money on their tax returns. When the IRS investigator comes calling, one of them has to masquerade as the housewife with the help of a girlfriend who has a romantic interest with the other guy. A visit by the fiancée and one of their mother’s further complicates the plot.

Curtis Ashby, who plays the gawky musician Leslie Arthur, was the recipient of HCCT's Phyl Holbert Scholarship when he graduated from Marble Falls High in 1999. The Marble Falls resident has since received training at Texas State University and other venues -- Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, Culver City and Los Angeles. He’s been a staff member with Austin Musical Theatre and Broadway Texas as a Scenic and Properties Designer, as well as a Performing Arts Academy instructor. Productions included Once Upon a Mattress, Bye, Bye Birdie and Guys & Dolls.

At the ripe old age of 20, Curtis designed his first "big city" main stage production of Into the Woods, produced by the Zilker Hillside Theatre Company in Austin. His directing experiences include I Never Saw Another Butterfly, Alice in Wonderland and Crazy for You. Curtis is making his second appearance on stage at HCCT, although scenic work and past production designs here include Annie, Miss Julie and Bus Stop.

Jared Lasseter has been making the long drive from Austin for each rehearsal to prepare for the role of Jon Trachtman, the roommate musician. Jared has appeared at HCCT in The King & I and Death Trap. The Baylor grad was in The Dancers in his high school.

Priscilla Castaneda of Marble Falls, an HCCT veteran, portrays Connie. Priscilla has been seen in Leave it to the Navy, Laura, Last of the Red Hot Lovers - roles that cover the spectrum of female characters. She also has been a stalwart volunteer behind the scenes.

Although a longtime HCCT volunteer, Janice King, a Blue Lake resident, portrays the stoic Vivian Trachtman in her debut acting performance. Janice retired seven years ago after 24 years as an Administrator with El Paso Natural Gas Company where she sang and performed with the EPNG Choraliers for 15 years.

Whitney Niblett of Marble Falls plays perky Kate Dennis, Jon’s girlfriend, in her first appearance on the HCCT stage.

Kirk Tatum of Horseshoe Bay is the suit-type IRS auditor, Floyd Spinner. Those who have seen him in Can’t Take It with You, Bus Stop, That Championship Season, Leave It To the Navy, or Deathtrap, know that he does not hold back on his characterizations. He is a Burnet High School grad.

The role of Mr. Jansen, the beer-bellied drunk of a landlord, is played by John Mengden, last seen in Deathtrap. The Horseshoe Bay resident also was in The Miracle Worker. No stranger to theatre, John has been involved in productions of Houston’s Alley Theatre and with the Jewish Community Center Musical Theatre in Houston.

HCCT Governor Gil Wulfson of Horseshoe Bay is Arnold Grunion, a shady trench-coated character. Gil, however is of sunny disposition, having retired from the HVAC industry after 42 years. He’s been seen at HCCT in Never Too Late, Miss Julie, You Can’t Take It with You and Honk.

Wendy James, Marble Falls, who was in Honk! and Bell, Book and Candle at HCCT, is the show’s stage manager. Lighting design is once again being handled by Harmony Peacock, a Texas Tech grad who now works at with Southwestern University.

The show opens, appropriately, on April 15th and 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 opens weekdays and Saturdays from noon until 4 p.m. beginning April 5 for patrons and April 7 for the general public. 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