REBECCA MACLEAN For Rebecca MacLean, author of "Duet," watching the world premiere of her play, performed at Port Aransas Community Theater on Thursday, was "absolutely thrilling," she said.

"It went beautifully," said MacLean, who flew from her home in New York City to Port Aransas especially to see the performance. "It's all in the timing, because it's a comedy, and Alan Gardiner-Atkinson is such a superb director, he got it right. It got laugher in key places."

"Duet" continues its run tonight, Thursday, Sept. 27, through Saturday, Sept. 29, and Oct 4-6, with an Oct. 7 matinee. Curtain time is 7:30 each evening, and the Sunday matinee starts at 2:30 p.m. at the theater, 2327 State Hwy. 361.

Tickets are $15.

"Duet" is a romantic comedy set in Houston at the turn of the millennium. The plot revolves around the star singer of a church choir and her quest for romance and a career in opera. The singer falls in love with the choir's new director.

The choir director falls in love with the singer's voice and arranges for the singer to get an audition with an opera company. While the singer doesn't end up with the choir director, she does win an opera contract and a new boyfriend in a handsome young tenor.

MacLean said her play's message is that "if you want to change your life, even if you can't get the very thing you think you want, you can get something that is better than what you had."

PACT held a reception for MacLean on opening night.

MacLean makes her living working as an executive for a non-profit organization that acts as an information clearing house for philanthropy. She does her writing on the side.

"Duet" is the only play MacLean has written. She composed most of it in 2004. Later, she sent a copy of it to a longtime Port Aransas friend, Beverly Adams Gray, to read and provide input.

MacLean said she knew Gray was involved with PACT and that PACT was a good theater organization. She hoped PACT might end up performing her play. What she didn't know was that Gray was a member of PACT's play selection committee, Gray said.

Gray said she read the play and loved it. The play was submitted to the play selection committee.

Gray resigned from the committee to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. Even without Gray's vote, the committee decided to put "Duet" on the PACT stage.

MacLean flew to Port Aransas in time to watch a couple of rehearsals in addition to the play's premiere.

"I'm really, really excited," MacLean said during one of the rehearsals. "It's just sort of amazing to see something I created brought to life in such a professional way. … They've done such a professional job with it."

Cast members are Debra Midget as Carla Boothby, the choir singer; Jason Jett as Bill Johnson, choir director; Misty Hamm as Janie; Eric Hawes as the casting director; Pepper Pendzinski as Mrs. Boothby; Bob Erickson as Rev. Phillips; Michael Christian as Tony and Desiree Noriega, who plays several parts.

For more information, call the theater at 749-6036 or the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce-Tourist Bureau at 749-5919.