Sometimes you meet new people and you immediately hit it off – it feels like you’ve known each other forever, and the friendship is instantaneous. Such is the story presented by Great Lakes Theater in Always…Patsy Cline, playing now through May 19, 2024 in the Hanna Theatre at Playhouse Square.
Patsy Cline is legendary and iconic for so many reasons. She was the first female country music star to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City, and the first female country artist to headline her own show in Las Vegas. The self-taught musician who couldn’t read sheet music had perfect pitch, and was the first woman to wear pants on The Grand Ole Opry stage. Cline was also the first solo woman artist to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and is known for bridging the gap between country and pop music. She was a bold, brash, unapologetic trail-blazer who recorded 104 songs over her short 8-year career. She was also known as a fierce and loyal friend.
Directed by Victoria Bussert, the jukebox musical Always…Patsy Cline features Christina Rose Hall as country superstar Patsy Cline, and Harmony France as Louise Segar, Patsy’s beloved friend.
The story of Patsy Cline’s friendship with fan Louise Seger is true. They meet in 1961 and the women remain close until Patsy dies at the young age of 30. The story is told as it is wrapped into Cline’s music, with the show featuring 27 songs including “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” “She’s Got You,” and “Walking After Midnight.”
As an added environmental treat, Always…Patsy Cline scenic designer Jeff Herrmann has extended the playing area past the stage and into the lowered thrust with Café Table Seating, creating a fun, immersive experience for audience members. Patrons – get ready to get up close and personal with these incredibly talented ladies!
Most of the narrative is done by France, giving us a confident, sassy, and vivacious embodiment of Louise. There is a drawl in her voice and a mischievous glint in her eye as she plays both super fan and confidant. Her matter-of-fact commentary during the “Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray” song is relatable as a form of girl talk, and her energy is off the charts as she recounts her conversations and letters back-and-forth with Patsy. How can one NOT love a character who refers to her car as the “sexy dude” and has a dance just for it?! And although she doesn’t sing much in this production, France does get a vocal moment to shine as she wails briefly in “The Blue Moon of Kentucky.” Bottom line – Louise is one cool chick, and France makes you want to be her BFF.
Most of the singing is done by Hall, as she proficiently performs through Cline’s catalog with true country style. She is adorned in fringe (costume design by Dustin Cross) and plays the bold musician who “can’t read a note and doesn’t know what key she sings in” with a down-to-earth relatability. Hall’s vocals definitely capture Cline’s spirit, and her voice reflects what is described in a 2000 NPR Patsy Cline article as “a very powerful singer and very versatile, capable of growling or purring, vaulting octaves with ease. But beyond just the raw technique, Patsy was able to give you a window into her soul. You feel that you’re hearing exactly how Patsy feels, almost as if she were a neighbor coming over for a cup of coffee and spilling her heart out to you.” – Paul Kingsbury, a music historian at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum1.
A particularly touching moment is Hall’s performance of “If I Could See the World (Through the Eyes of a Child),” as her vocals are stellar, and her acting tugs at the heartstrings as she sings to Louise’s child’s stuffed bear. It is playful, as well as wise. She also stirs the soul with her voice and her earnest in her rendition of “Just a Closer Walk” – it’s as if she’s brought us along on her visit to Jesus in prayer.
The story is loose, but effective, and the audience actually gets the best character development from France’s Louise, as the script is written from her point of view. If anything, the show could use a little more backstory and a better in-depth look at Patsy Cline, herself, as she is the title role. But what the script lacks in insight into the star sensation, it makes up for in heart in regards to demonstrating the importance of the friendship between the two women. There is also a ton of humor and wit in this show, and Bussert has done a clever job staging this well-matched duo around the performance space.
Another great part of the show is the band, made up of five live, talented local musicians who accompany our ladies. Music Director Matthew Webb (keys), Alfredo Guerrieri (bass), Evan Kleve (fiddle), Trevor Matthews (guitar), and Andrew Pongracz (drums) are great backup singers with their smooth harmonies. The sound is also well-mixed and features a good balance and blend between the musicians and the ladies (thank you sound designer David Gotwald).
The creative team also includes Lighting Designer Trad A Burns, and Production Stage Manager Imani Sade.
Curtain times for all evening performances are 7:30 p.m., with a 1:30 p.m. curtain time for Saturday matinees and one weekday matinee on May 7 and a 3:00 p.m. curtain time for Sunday matinees. In addition, GLT will offer a sign-interpreted and audio-described performance of Always…Patsy Cline on May 19 at 3:00 p.m.
TICKETS / INFO
Single performance tickets range in price from $20-$89, with $15 tickets for patrons 25 and under. Tickets are available by calling (216) 241-6000, ordering online, or visiting the Playhouse Square Ticket Office. Visit https://www.playhousesquare.org/contact-us for Playhouse Square Ticket Office operating hours. Groups of ten or more save up to 45% by calling (216) 453-1066.
FURTHER INTO THE PERFORMANCE
Each Thursday during the run, patrons are invited to Salon Thursday pre-show discussions featuring a Great Lakes Theater artist.
Saturday matinee performances feature Playnotes pre-show discussions sixty minutes before shows and feature illuminating introductions to the content and history of the play presented by a guest scholar.
On Sundays, patrons can enjoy Ice Cream Social Sundays, where they can grab a delicious, cool treat at a discount.
1https://www.npr.org/2000/09/04/1081575/crazy
Kate Klotzbach 