Always . . . Patsy Cline, now playing at Carousel Dinner Theatre, tells the true story of a Texas housewife and her relationship with the country-music legend. When Louise Seger wrote a fan letter to Cline, she never imagined the singer would write back — let alone show up at her house for coffee. “What makes it so interesting is the simplicity of it all,” says artistic director Sean Cercone. “Here is a woman who became enamored of Patsy’s talent after hearing her voice. And then the star becomes her closest friend. We hope for that kind of occurrence in this day and age of celebrity worship.”
The musical traces Cline’s career through tunes and letters — from her 1960 Grand Ole Opry debut to the plane crash that claimed her life in 1963. “It’s not about Patsy as a celebrity or pop star,” says Cercone. “It’s about the kind of person she was and how she relates to a great friend.” The show includes more than two dozen of the music superstar’s songs (including “Walkin’ After Midnight” and “Crazy”) sung by Christine Mild. A six-piece band accompanies her onstage. “Patsy was the first crossover pop-country star,” says Cercone. “She broke the mold for the future of women in pop music. All these stars today? You wouldn’t have them without Patsy Cline.”
Sundays, 5 p.m.; Tuesdays-Thursdays, 8 p.m.; Fridays, Saturdays, 8:30 p.m. Starts: July 8. Continues through Aug. 26
This article appears in Jul 4-10, 2007.