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| Patsy Cline (Melissa WolfKlain, left) visits Louise Seger (Kimberly Donovan). (Tracy Martin photo) |
Country-western singer Patsy Cline was only 30 years
old when she died in a plane crash in 1963, but many of the songs she sang remain
popular today.
“Always … Patsy Cline,” presented by Hillbarn
Theatre and Conservatory, tells the true story of a friendship between her and
an ardent fan, Louise Seger, in Houston.
A divorced mom, Seger (Kimberly Donovan) first heard
Cline (Melissa WolfKlain) singing when her two kids were watching Arthur
Godfrey’s show in the late ’50s. She was immediately enchanted and hounded the
local DJ to play her records.
When she learned that Cline was slated to sing in
Houston, she arrived long before the show was to start. By chance, they briefly
chatted as Cline was checking out the space.
Afterward, Cline came to her table, where they talked
for a long time. When she told Seger she had taken a cab from her hotel, Seger
offered to give her a ride because it was too late to catch a cab.
They first went to Seger’s house, where they talked
so long that Cline accepted Seger’s invitation to spend the night there before
returning to her hotel to pack and go to the airport.
Afterward, they corresponded regularly. Cline signed
her letters, “Love always, Patsy Cline.”
Created and originally directed by Ted Swindley,
this show is basically a juke box musical with some two dozen songs by various
composers. Some of those songs include “Crazy,” “Your Cheatin’ Heart” and “Shake,
Rattle and Roll.” WolfKlain sings well and easily adapts to the various styles.
She changes costumes between each scene, appearing
in about 10 different outfits, all attractive. Kudos to costume designer
Stephanie Dittbern, who also fashioned the wigs and hair styles.
Other design elements are noteworthy with lighting
by Pamila Gray, sound by Jeff Mockus and set by Paulino Deleal.
As part of the excellent six-person upstage band,
musical director Rick Reynolds conducts from the piano.
The show is directed and well-choreographed by Dyan
McBride. However, she allows Donovan to overact. At first Donovan’s Seger seem
energetic, but there’s not a lot of variation in her performance.
Otherwise, though, this production is highly entertaining,
especially WolfKlain’s singing.
Running about two hours with a 15-minute
intermission, “Always … Patsy Cline” continues through Sept. 15 at Hillbarn
Theatre. 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City.
For tickets and information, call (650) 349-6411 or
visit www.hillbarntheatre.org.
