The cast of ACT's upcoming dinner theatre production "Death and Taxes" includes (left to right) Renée Mackey-Myler as Kathleen Lyles, the mayor of Hendricks; Jay Carlton as Eddie King, the editor of the Hendricks Herald; Rita Hines-Fryar who plays Cora Sedgwick, the nosey neighbor; Corey Miner as Wesley Thorne, the sheriff; Larry Balcerak as Carl Johansen, a local citizen; Hannah Ford as Lydia Kleft, the city hall secretary; and Kathleen Carlton as Evelyn Martindale, the high school drama teacher. Not pictured are Jeanne Balcerak, who plays Mattie Johansen (Carl's wife), and Ronnie Patton, who will play the part of Dr. Bishop. Mackey-Myler also serves as the play's director.
Rehearsals are underway for an upcoming dinner theater play to be presented by Pauls Valley Arts Council Theatre (ACT).
The play, "Death and Taxes" written by Pat Cook, is a comedy-mystery that includes audience participation.
"If one has ever wondered what goes on at small-town city council meetings, this play will provide a lot of laughter. In this council meeting, the council members are looking for a murderer, and the meeting becomes more of a coroner's jury than the typical city council meeting," ACT Director Renee Mackey-Myler said. "The characters are funny and relatable. I think we will all identify with or know of someone that each of the characters reminds us of."
Cast members include Jay Carlton as Eddie King, the editor of the Hendricks Herald; Corey Miner as Sheriff Wesley Thorne; Larry Balcerak as local citizen Carl Johansen; Jeanne Balcerak as Carl's wife Mattie Johansen; Renée Mackey-Myler as Kathleen Lyles, the mayor of Hendricks; Rita Hines-Fryar as Cora Sedgwick, the nosey neighbor; Hannah Ford as Lydia Kleft, the city hall secretary; Kathleen Carlton as Evelyn Martindale, the high school drama teacher; and Ronnie Patton as Dr. Bishop. Mackey-Myler also serves as the play's director.
Performances will be at The Judges Inn, 519 N. Ash, June 17, 18 and 19 at 6 p.m. Dinner will be served at 6:15 and the play will begin at 7 p.m. The meal will be provided by Punkin's Restaurant, and wine will be offered for an additional charge.
"This is an audience participation play and because the venue is small, it will be pleasantly intimate," Mackey-Myler said. "Audience members will be given the opportunity to check over the ‘evidence' during intermission and the sheriff will be available for questions."
Tickets are $50, which includes dinner and the show, and will go on sale May 30. They can be purchased at the law office of Garvin Agee Carlton, P.C., 101 E. Grant, or the Pauls Valley Chamber of Commerce, 112 E. Paul.
Seating will be limited, and tickets will not be available for purchase at the door due to the planning necessary for dinner accommodations, Mackey-Myler said.
The dinner theater production will be the first for ACT since COVID hit in the spring of 2020.
As ACT Director, Mackey-Myler said she is excited at the prospect of being able get community theater on the stage again.
"It's really my hope going forward to do two productions per year, and then also something that's children-oriented at least once during the year," Mackey-Myler said.
The group has had to temporarily jettison plans for a highly anticipated performance of "Mama Mia" due to licensing issues, but Mackey-Myler said she hopes to direct a production of the popular Broadway musical "Funny Girl" this fall.
