Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Always.....Patsy Cline: One Special Fan's Dream Comes True

For this blog I typically post on music I'm listening to and concerts I've attended. Although this is a play, it does happen to be music-related, as it is a sincere tribute to a legendary country and pop singer who helped make one fan's dream come true.


Recently I previewed a very special event for the Centre Daily Times. A musical titled "Always.....Patsy Cline" tells the story of how one fan's dream became reality; meeting and befriending her favorite singer. Being a music lover and appreciating music history, I thought it would be very interesting and a lot of fun to attend. I was familiar only with Patsy Cline's most notable hit songs, including Willie Nelson's "Crazy," "I Fall to Pieces," "She's Got You," "You Belong to Me," and "Lovesick Blues." A few of these songs I knew mostly from versions by Linda Ronstadt in the 1970s. But I thought it might help me to understand what Patsy Cline was all about and to see her from a fan's point of view.

The musical was presented at the Millbrook Playhouse in Mill Hall, PA, which is about 45 minutes from Penn State University. This playhouse was very unique and was the perfect setting for this particular production. The background to the stage was made up to look like the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, with posters of Patsy Cline displayed on the walls. Cline's band consisted of a pianist, guitarist, bass guitarist, and drummer.

The play began with an introduction of Cline at the Grand Ole Opry. Cline then appeared and began to sing, starting with the song "Honky-Tonk Merry-Go-Round." The role of Cline was played by Courtney Simmons, who endlessly studied Cline's voice and mannerisms to portray the iconic singer. Simmons was in top voice throughout, singing with heart, soul, and passion. Altogether, Simmons sang 27 songs, which included some of Cline's biggest hits.

The role of Patsy's friend Louise Seger was played by Sarah Michelle Cuc. Cuc was outstanding; talking to the audience about Patsy and speaking in a boisterous tone, while adding humor to her attempts to meet her music idol.

The relationship between Cline and Seger was very real, and I thought this play depicted it in the most authentic and sincere way. It's a very interesting concept to think about: a huge fan gets to meet their idol, someone they look up to and admire. But not only do they get to meet them, they invite them into their own home, and the star accepts the invitation and stays overnight. They then develop a lasting friendship, keeping in touch by writing letters to each other. Sadly, the relationship comes to an end, as Cline is tragically killed in a plane crash.

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