Theater Review / Always Patsy Cline A terrific perennial revival At the Red Barn Theater

By Joanna Brady

Nobody—but nobody—could sing hurtin’ songs like Patsy Cline. A remarkably talented country singer who cut her teeth at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and rocketed to mainstream stardom in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, she became a ubiquitous name in the dazzling world of entertainment with her many hits at the top of the charts. For songs that plucked at the heartstrings of the lovelorn, Patsy Cline was unique.

Always Patsy Cline, running Feb. 26 at the Red Barn until March 10, is a celebration, not so much of the life of the entertainer, but of an unusual friendship.

Most of the plays I’ve attended this season center on relationships, and this one is no exception. In this play, the relationship is between a singer and her public. Written and originally directed by Ted Swindley, it offers a glimpse into a friendship between an adoring, star-struck fan, Louise Seger, a housewife in Houston, and the rising star early in her singing career. The two ladies meet by chance, click, and bond for life. In her letters to Seger, the singer would sign off, Love always, Patsy Cline.

The tragic story of this ‘candle in the wind’ is one of the saddest in our modern age of music, right up there with the deaths of Buddy Holly, Ricky Nelson, and John Denver. Like them, she was killed in an airplane crash at the peak of her career. She was just 30.

But there is nothing morbid or depressing about this play, which has become one of the most produced in the world. Instead, it’s a spirited, effervescent musical show with plenty of laughs, lively action, antics, and audience participation. Even the band gets involved. Singer Christine Mild of Chicago plays Cline with passion and charm. Her voice is well-suited to the kind of songs the country singer made famous.

From the moment she first appears in her fringy cowgirl outfit and western-style boots to sing “Honky Tonk Merry Go Round”, to the end when she finishes in a crinoline and diamanté dress to sing “Bill Bailey”, she holds the rapt attention of the audience. In between, she changes her outfits about six or seven times, and belts out 23 of the songs from Cline’s repertoire. Hits like “Shake Rattle and Roll”, “Walkin’ after Midnight”, “I Fall to Pieces”, “You Belong to Me”, “She’s Got you”, “Seven Lonely Days,”, “Crazy”, “Anytime”, and many other favorites.

The laughs are mostly provided by the ever-versatile Joy Hawkins who plays Louise Seger. Full of energy, she marches, she wiggles, she directs the band, she cheerleads,  leaves the stage to dance with someone in the audience; and her colorful southern drawl and sparkling expressions keep the audience laughing right from the get-go. Hawkins is on stage for the entire play, savoring the story as she narrates it,  encouraging the band and the audience to get involved.

The band is called The Bobcats, a quartet of aging country musicians who sing back-up and are part of the action. They’re named, Jim Bob, Ray Bob, Joe Bob and Bob Bob and are played by Jim Rice, the musical director, Drew Perkins, Roger Rettig, and Lee Vinters.

Both Joy Hawkins and Christine Mild have played this role together so many times they have no need for a director, allowing their experience and familiarity with the roles to direct them. And they do it superbly.

If you love country music, run, don’t walk, to get your tickets to this play. If you aren’t a fan, you will be by the time you’ve seen it. It’s a good laugh and very entertaining.

“Always…Patsy Cline”, opens Monday Feb 26 at the Red Barn Theatre. The show will run Mondays through Saturdays (two weeks only) through March 10. Curtains at 8 pm. Tickets are going fast. Go to redbarntheatre.com/tickets or call 305-296-9911.

(Joanna Brady is a Key West writer, author of The Woman at the Light, a historical novel about Key West, published by St. Martin’s Press)

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