Three unconventional sisters, separated by geography and their own history, meet in a Reno motel after the sudden death of their colorful gambler father, Albert. As they go through his effects and make funeral arrangements they also try to make sense of their past and their own spiky relationships'with the kibitzing ghost of Albert looking on. This play is peppered with sharp, surprising comedy and features strong, complex ensemble roles: Kathleen, a tough negotiator and pool player, who has borne the responsibilities and resentments of the eldest child in a motherless family; Irene, a compulsive gambler and flirt who lives by her wits and intuition; Mary, a vulnerable waitress who has been the family's emotional caretaker; and Albert, a Zen pool and craps player whose parenting was well-intentioned but haphazard. Three the Hard Way was a winner of the Gilmore Creek Play Competition. Minimal unit set. Approximate running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes.