DANVILLE - Blind ambition plunges a determined ad executive into matrimonial mayhem as she bends, breaks and steps on the truth.

But what could send the execeutive's career into the wringer, may have audience members into hysterics.

The Red Mask Players will present "Meet My Husbands" starting this weekend at the Kathryn Randolph Theater.

The production is a little different from what the theater company has put on in recent years, but cast members have jumped in feet first.

"Normally our comedies don't have as much action in them as this one does," said stage manager Beverly Nees. "It's a couple steps away from a farce; all the activity and sneaking across the balcony ... But it comes across as a natural situation."

The situation comedy, written by Fred Carmichael, finds Elaine Scott, an advertising executive whose position is in jeopardy, at a luxurious hotel in Florida to meet the Mulgrews, European clients she must sell on adopting her agency's advertising campaign for their Swiss Mountain Sausages. Mulgrew insists that the campaign and all those associated with it reflect wholesome family values. So Scott, who's going through a divorce, hires a husband in order to keep up appearances.

"Then it gets confusing because her fake husband is the true husband of her assistant," Nees said. "The husbands keep getting introduced as belonging to someone else."

So she hires a replacement, but her real-life soon-to-be-former husband's showing up doesn't simplify things.

The story line takes off on several comical tangents, and meets back up with an uproarious and multiple-surprise ending.

"We hate to tell a whole lot because we don't want to give away too much we want the audience to be surprised," Nees said.

But the show promises to be full of surprises.

"It's a screwball comedy," said director Sharon Tipsword. "There are a lot of surprises and strange people coming in here and there. "There's a lot of people sticking their heads through doors and that stuff, but it's very natural; no sitcom acting."

"It's just a good fun evening with a lot of laughs," Nees added.

Cast members are: Jason Asaad, Mike Boedicker, John Dowers, Sue Harden, Robert Hous, Melody Huff, Mary Ann Laker, Janet Lewis and Annie Roach. Jennifer Dixson is the producer.

Showtime

The Red Mask Players will present "Meet My Husbands" at 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Jan. 23, 24, 30 and 31 and at 2 p.m Sunday and Jan. 25 at the Kathryn Randolph Theater, 601 N. Vermilion St. Tickets can be purchased by calling 442-5858 or at the box office from 6 to 8 p.m.