HCCT-04-02 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BRUCE HENNIE RESIGNS HCCT POSITION;
SEARCH BEGINS FOR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Community Theatre seeks new leadership, direction as 20th year approaches.

MARBLE FALLS, TEXAS (March 8, 2004) – The Board of Governors of the Hill Country Community Theatre has accepted the resignation of Executive Director Bruce Hennie and immediately launched a national search for his successor.

“Bruce contributed significant talent and energy to HCCT during the past five years, managing, promoting, directing and acting.” said Vickie Cody, President of the HCCT Board. “With his diverse creative abilities, he devoted innumerable hours beyond his executive requirements to lifting the quality and the frequency of our productions. We will be seriously challenged to replace him.

“The Board, however, feels that new leadership is an opportunity to reach the level of regional involvement necessary to attain the long-term goals we are establishing for patron membership, volunteer development and involvement, fundraising and, ultimately, a new performance facility,” Cody said. “It is important that we rapidly broaden the reach and the recognition of our organization if we are to attract the wide-ranging support required to sustain a first class performing arts center.”

HCCT has alerted the American Association of Community Theatre, the Texas Nonprofit Theatres Association and the Austin Circle of Theatres – in which HCCT holds memberships – of its executive search.

“We expect to complete the search, candidate interviews and visits within 90 days,” said Cody, who resides in Burnet and is completing her first year of a three-year tenure on the nine-member board. “The final three shows of our six-show season will be produced with guest artistic directors who have already been selected.”

“It is the fervent hope of every Board member that our many loyal patrons, volunteers, corporate sponsors and the leaders and ‘angels’ in the numerous communities we serve will step up at this time to embrace the Governors’ vision for the future. Their combined and whole-hearted support will raise the quality of the performing arts in the Hill Country,” she emphasized.

An eight-member cast directed by Artistic Guest Director Joe Ginnane, a recently graduated Master of Fine Arts from Texas Tech in Lubbock, continues to prepare for the next show, “Love, Sex and the IRS.” The production opens on tax filing deadline day, April 15th, and runs through April 25th.

Hennie recently completed his third appearance onstage at HCCT in multiple roles for the musical “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” one of the theatre’s most successful productions in recent years. He received his theatre training in St. Louis, Los Angeles, Dallas, Nebraska, Ohio and Germany.

In the past 35 years, he has appeared in more than 100 plays, including 50 murder mysteries, as well as 100 commercials and voiced another 150 to 200 commercials and industrial videos. The former member of Equity and the Screen Actors Guild has performed in a few movie and TV roles. He had his own talent agency for five years in Dallas before moving to Marble Falls.

HCCT Improvements Multiply

The Hill Country Community Theatre was co-founded in 1985 by GiGi Fischer and the late Phyl Holbert, with productions initially staged in an old firehouse. Since 1991, HCCT has provided entertainment in a 147-seat proscenium stage theatre located at 4003 West FM 2147 in Cottonwood Shores, between Marble Falls and Horseshoe Bay.

In the past three years, HCCT has upgraded its lobby, air conditioning, lighting and electrical systems, improving its parking areas and sound system and purchasing an electronic keyboard, color laser print system and a digital camera.

The chartered 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization presents six shows a year and a fundraiser production, with about 65 performances a season attended by audiences totaling more than 7,500 persons. HCCT has an annual operating budget of $155,000, and 880 patron members. About half of all attendance is comprised of nonpatrons, including area residents, “Winter Texans” and tourists.

In a typical season, between 80 and 110 roles are filled by volunteer actors of all ages. About 250 persons also volunteer their time and skills in areas from set construction, painting, props, make-up and costumes to lighting, sound, box office, gala planning, lobby decoration, hosting and security. More than 100 area firms and individuals advertise in HCCT’s four-color programs and/or lend equipment, furniture and props.

The current season will be rounded out by “Grace and Glorie," June 3-13, and "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," (musical) Aug. 5-22, with the annual membership meeting set for early June.

For more information on the upcoming 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 Administrative Assistant Jennifer Jones at 830-693-2474.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR INTERVIEWS:
Vickie Cody, President, HCCT Board of Governors, Burnet, TX, 512-756-2929; Fax 756-8345; vcody@281.com

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