Tax season creates audit in hilarity for CCT

Cherokee Civic Theatre’s final play of the 48th season brings a cast of familiar and new faces to the stage along with side splitting laughter.

Opening Friday, May 7, at 7:30 p.m., “Love, Sex and the I.R.S.” – written by Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore – introduces us to struggling musicians and roommates Jon Trachtman and Leslie Arthur.

To help with money problems, Jon has been filing tax returns listing the pair as married. The day of reckoning comes when the Internal Revenue Service informs the “couple” they’re going to be investigated due to discrepancies between older tax returns and the more recent ones. Add in a couple of girlfriend issues, a nosy landlord and an unexpected visit from Jon’s mother, and you have the perfect recipe for hilarity.

“Don’t let the title of the play scare you,” said producer Judy Faye Garner. “This play will offer the audience a fast-paced, roller coaster ride of laughs. Set in the 1970’s, this production offers some of the same slapstick comedy that was seen in popular television shows of the time like ‘Three’s Company.’”

The cast includes Brad Gwartney as Jon Trachtman, John Earle as Leslie Arthur, Stacy Gwartney as Kate Dennis, Josie Fox as Vivian Trachtman, Tony Williams as Floyd Spinner, Jonell Arrington as Connie, Bray Barrow as Mr. Jansen and Jesse Fox as Mr. Grunion.

“I am very excited to be a part of this production and to share the stage with such a great cast and crew,” said Jesse Fox. “Although I have been part of previous productions on the tech/crew side, this is my first on-stage, speaking part, and I am glad that it has been under the direction of Bill Sherman and that it is such a funny play.”

“Being a fan of some of the great care comedians and writers, I’ve found a little of the crazy antics of ‘I Love Lucy,’ the quick catchy lines for the like of Abbott and Costello, Bob Hope and even John Hughes, and the fast pace of such greats and the Marx Brothers, all in this production,” Williams said. “I am going to do my best to give the audience the big laughs and huge smiles this show has given me.”

Directed by Bill Sherman and produced by Judy Faye Garner, audiences have three opportunities to attend the production. Performances on Friday, May 7, and Saturday, May 8, begin at 7:30 p.m., while a Sunday, May 9, matinee performance starts at 2 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased in advance online at www.cherokeethreatre.net. The box office will be open beginning Wednesday, May 5 from 3 to 5 p.m.

“If you leave this production and your sides are not hurting from laughing, then you weren’t listening,” Sherman said. “The comedy in this play comes to life through the hard work and dedication of a talented group of actors and brings to light the consequences of a simple ‘yes,’ because you never know where it will lead.”

Along with rehearsals for this production, CCT is nearing the completion of its inaugural TnT Tuesdays class. This group has spent the last 15 weeks learning the ins and out of the theatre with classes that focused on costumes, theatrical make-up, set design, improve and how to audition.

The class, comprised of 14 students ages 11 to 16, will graduate on May 18 and will showcase the skills they learned with a Showcase performance during the annual Cherokee Civic Theatre’s Membership Meeting.

With summer approaching, CCT is busy with plans for their annual two-week summer camp, TnT (Thespians in Training), planned July 12-23. Registration is currently underway with applications available on their website. Those interested in volunteering should contact the theater by email at president@cherokeetheatre.net