ALWAYS, PATSY CLINE

ALWAYS, PATSY CLINE by Ted Swindley, directed by Elizabeth Craven and Elly Lichenstein. Hardt Theatre, 6th Street Playhouse, (Located in historic Railroad Square) 52 West 6th Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95401. 707-523-4185 or www.6thstreetplayhouse.com.

Through December 7, 2008

A GREAT EVENING OF COUNTRY WESTERN AND POP SINGING WITH GOSPEL AND TORCH SONGS THROWN IN

Patsy Cline was a legendary country singer who made a smooth transition to traditional pop, Nashville sound, honky tonk, rock & roll, standards and rockabilly genres. Her recording career spanned only 15 months but in that time produced many classics before dying at age 30 in a plane crash in 1963. “Always, Patsy Cline” is based on a true story about her friendship with Louise Seger that blossomed into continued letter writing that always ended with “Love always, Patsy Cline.”

The story unfolds in flashbacks with Louise Seger (Liz Jahren) reminiscing from her Houston kitchen. . After first hearing Patsy (Mary Gannon-Graham)on the “Arthur Godfrey Show” in 1957, Seger became an avid fan, constantly hounding a local radio disc jockey to play her records. In 1961 when Cline went to Houston for a show, Seger and her buddies arrived about an hour-and-a-half early at a honky-tonk, striking up a friendship that ended with Patsy staying overnight and the two women becoming fast friends.

Seger is the narrator while Patsy enters and exits in multiple changes of costumes to sing the songs that made her famous starting with a rousing “Honky-Tonk Merry Go Round” ending the show with the gospel “How Great You Are” followed by three encores of “If You’ve Got Leavin’ on Your Mind”, “True Love” and “Bill Bailey.” In between were known greats, to name a few are “Anytime”, “Walkin' After Midnight”, “She's Got You”, “Sweet Dreams”, and “Crazy.” Hyperactive Liz Jahren as Seger joins in the fun with humorous comments and down home dance steps making the audience roar as well as leading them into participating with clapping hands and singing. An equal mixture of humor and sadness emanates from the lyrics.

Mary Gannon-Graham captures Cline’s controlled vibrato with that distinctive catch in her voice that expresses true yearning. In the more physically vocal numbers her exuberance blasts across the footlights. The 6-piece Bobcat Orchestra add depth to her performance giving you foot-stomping desires. The standing ovation was well deserved. Running time about 2 hours with intermission.

The Bodacious Bobcats: Jim Peterson (Guitar), Dave Zirbel (Steel guitar), Robin Zickel (Drums), Stuart Rabinowitsh (Piano), Josh Fossgreen (Bass), Michael Kane (Fiddle).

Complete song list: “Honky Tonk Merry Go Round”, “Back In Baby's Arms”, “Anytime”, “Walkin' After Midnight”, “I Fall To Pieces”, “It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels”, “ Come On In And Sit Right", “Your Cheatin' Heart”, “Stupid Cupid”, “You Belong To Me”, “ San Antonio Rose”, “Lovesick Blues”, “ Sweet Dreams”, “She's Got You”, “Three Cigarettes In An Ashtray”, “Seven Lonely Days”, “Just a Closer Walk", “Blue Moon of Kentucky”, “Gotta Lotta Rhythm”, “Shake Rattle and Roll”, “Faded Love”, “How Great Thou Art”, “True Love”, “If You"ve Got Leavin' On Your Mind”, “Bill Bailey” and “Crazy.”

Kedar K Adour, MD

Courtesy of TheatreWorld Internet Magazine

www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com