The most talked about show of 2011 returns to the Indio Performing Arts Center for a limited run January 4-20, 2013. The same cast (Dia Nalani as Patsy Cline and Jeanette Knight as Louise Seger) returns to tell the true story of Cline’s friendship with a Houston housewife. Having first heard Cline on the Arthur Godfrey show in 1957, Seger became an immediate and avid fan. In 1961, Seger and her friends met Cline when she performed in Houston and they developed a friendship that lasted until Patsy Cline’s untimely death in 1963. The musical includes down home country humor, pathos, and many of Patsy’s unforgettable hits such as “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “Sweet Dreams” and “Walking After Midnight”…27 songs in all. “Always… Patsy Cline” is performed with a live country band known as “The Bodacious Bobcats.” The show’s title is derived from the way Patsy Cline signed her letters: Love always, Patsy Cline.
“Always… Patsy Cline” was originally written and directed by Ted Swindley and is licensed by the family and estate of Patsy Cline. “Always… Patsy Cline” has been, and is currently, being performed around the country in large and small venues. In fact, it is the best known and most produced of all the jukebox musicals, and “American Theatre” Magazine names it as one of the top ten plays produced. The IPAC cast experienced the phenomenon of the show in January, 2011, when they were booked for a six week run. Ticket sales grew through word of mouth to the point that potential audience members had to be turned away. Knight says, “I’ve never before been a part of any show quite like this one. One audience member, from Patsy Cline’s hometown, arrived and broke down in tears when she found out the show was sold out. Fortunately, management found a way to accommodate her. After the show closed, IPAC was flooded with calls asking for the show’s return. ”
Many attribute the show’s unrivaled success to its wide audience appeal. It is written and performed to satisfy not only Patsy Cline fans, but theatre lovers and average folks who enjoy good music, comedy and a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
Tickets for IPAC’s production of “Always… Patsy Cline” are now on sale for $12-$23 at www.indioperformingartscenter.org or by calling the box office at 760-775-5200. Show times are 7:30 pm Friday and Saturday nights, with 2:30 pm matinees on Sunday afternoons
