Show grows on with HCCT directors Heidi and Daniel Melton

The excitement of opening night for both the audience and the actors drives Heidi and Daniel Melton’s passion for live theater, evident in any conversation with the couple. Heidi has been the executive director and Daniel the artistic director of the Hill Country Community Theatre in Cottonwood Shores for two years now. 

“Opening night is the best night,” Daniel said. “The actors on stage are excited, and the audience is ready to go.”

That was not always the case at the HCCT. However, the Meltons brought positive changes to the nonprofit organization, turning things around by last season’s first production: “Little Shop of Horrors.”   

Opening night numbers had been notoriously low in past years because people held off buying tickets “to give the cast time to work out the kinks,” Heidi said. 

Word of a high-quality—and fun—production grew faster than Audrey II’s appetite, and the final weekend of the horror-comedy quickly sold out. 

“Little Shop” was voted a 2024 Locals Love Us Favorite Theater Production by The Picayune Magazine readers and KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune listeners. 

Unlike many productions in the past, it had an underwriter whose support enabled the HCCT to rent a mechanical Audrey II. The ever-growing—and hungry—man-eating plant might have dominated the stage, but it did not upstage the performances of the humans it hungered for. Extra rehearsals created a cast primed for perfection from the first night. 

“We have doubled our rehearsal time from previous shows,” Heidi said. “By the time we open, we are ready.” 

The HCCT opened its 39th season on Sept. 27 with the musical “Jekyll & Hyde,” which runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through Oct. 13.

Daniel is directing the show and plays the role of the Bishop, who is killedby Hyde, just one of many murders the evil side of the main character ultimately commits.

Heidi plays Lucy, a prostitute with a heart of gold who falls in love with Jekyll but is mistreated by Hyde. Of course,Jekyll and Hyde are one and the same person in the story, but not on the stage. Two actors are cast in the roles. 

The Meltons are veterans of the stage, having honed their skills in entertainment on cruise ships and at various Six Flags locations, both as talent and supervisors. The two met at Six Flags in San Antonio, where they spent 11 seasons working together, first as strangers and then as a couple. That was followed by a stint as newlyweds and then parents of the first of their three children. 

Daniel came to Six Flags right out of high school, where he performed in the choir and band.

“It’s funny. You couldn’t drag me into a theater to see a show when I was a kid,” he said. “My first job after high school was on stage. I eventually worked at five different Six Flags parks, two cruise ships, and went on a tour (with a church show)—and a few commercials.” 

Heidi hit the Six Flags stages after earning a degree in theater business from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. 

The family continued to grow as they moved on to jobs at the community theater in Fredericksburg. Their children are now ages 15, 12, and 5. The two oldest, both girls, are also veterans of the stage. 

Young people are an important part of building the HCCT’s future. A new program, Ovation Performing Arts Conservatory, began its second year on Sept. 3 with classes in musical theater and acting for students ages 8 to 18. 

“Other theaters focus on putting on a show,” Heidi said. “They don’t provide a lot of training or education. We want our kids to have fun, but we want to help nurture them and grow their knowledge and skills at the same time.” 

The HCCT has offered a summer show and camp for years. The next camp, which runs July 7-20, 2025, will produce “Matilda the Musical Jr.” 

“It really helps them come out of their shells,” said Daniel, recounting a story from this summer’s production of the G-rated Young@Part version of “Monty Python’s Spamalot.” “A mother wrote us a letter telling us how much her child has grown over the summer. That’s why we do it.” 

More has changed under the Meltons’ leadership than additional rehearsal time. The couple’s experience, which includes 10 years at the Fredericksburg Community Theatre, brings a big-picture perspective to the small stage. 

“This theater had a great foundation,” Daniel said. “We’re trying to build on that.” 

That includes growing the number of underwriters, which enables the nonprofit to use ticket revenue for overhead. It also includes possible future plans for building a new theater, one with better acoustics, a bigger stage, more seats, and more comfortable seating. 

The front row has already been changed out to test a new type of seating, but making incremental changes to the existing structure over the next few years might not be the best use of capital if a new building is the ultimate goal. 

While the Meltons love the HCCT’s location at 4003 FM 2147 West, the building was once a boat dealership and has proven difficult to transform into a theater.  

“It was not built for a stage or for costume and set storage,” Heidi said. “We are limited here, too, because of the size of our lot. Parking is a big issue.” 

Heidi is actively pursuing grants while also boosting the donor base. 

“When we came in, they had season ticket holders and donors in the same category,” she said. “Season tickets are discounted tickets, not donations. Donating is giving money to an organization.”

Without adequate attention to recruiting, the donor list was shrinking. 

“Our biggest challenge is diversification,” Heidi continued. “And keeping people engaged.” 

That includes younger patrons, a growing cast list, and, of course, capital improvements.

A bigger stage opens the door to a wider variety of shows. Increasing the seating from 140 to 200-250 means more revenue for better equipment and space and more exposure to the public, generating audiences and income.

“Our goal is to turn this theater into a machine that works on its own, where we can get enough staff to do much bigger shows,” Daniel said. “We want to make it a destination theater known for doing good shows. We want to bring people from all over to see it.” 

The Hill Country Community Theatre certainly has the talent. Here’s to hoping it grows like a certain show-stopping, human-eating plant but with a much happier ending. That’s showbiz!

HCCT’s Season 39 lineup

All performances are at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays at the Hill Country Community Theatre, 4003 FM 2147 West in Cottonwood Shores. Tickets are $27 for adults and $17 for youth—plus fees. Purchase them by calling 830-798-8944 or visiting thehcct.org.

“Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical”

Runs: Sept. 27-Oct. 13

Witness an epic struggle between good and evil—set to music.

“A Christmas Story”

Runs: Dec. 6-22

Based on the beloved film, this heartwarming tale is filled with holiday cheer for all ages.

Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express”

Runs: Feb. 7-23, 2025

This classic whodunit featuring famous detective Hercule Poirot unravels aboard a luxurious train and will keep audiences on the edge of their seats.

“Steel Magnolias”

Runs: March 28-April 13, 2025

This touching and humorous exploration of friendship and resilience set in small-town Louisiana celebrates the strength of women in the face of life’s challenges.

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!”

Runs: June 13-29, 2025

The iconic musical features unforgettable songs and a captivating love story set in the American West.

“Forever Plaid”

Runs: Aug. 15-24, 2025

Travel back in time with this charming and harmonious musical revue.

suzanne@thepicayune.com