| Show mi i Mu ir 1 M v Au I i i nr t Join T in I In T in Tin Love Faded From Tonk Took Angels to this musical montage with a plot plat inspires audience Laree Mecham Copy Editor Music lovers and Patsy Cline fans gathered at the Grand Theatre for opening night of Always Patsy Cline based on a small portion portion portion por por- tion of the last few years of the country singers singer's short life A six-person six band accompanied accompanied accompanied this woman two-woman show about a struck star-struck Cline fan befriending her before a Texas concert Toni Lynn Byrd portrays the loud colorful hilarious Texan Louise Seger This memorable character interacts interacts interacts inter inter- acts with the band and the audience as she narrates and acts out her awe of the country star and their ensuing friendship Erica Hansen exudes poise and charm playing a thoughtful thought thought- ful less talkative but more Cline During Clines Cline's concert segments Seger entreats the audience to clap and occasionally sing She even insists on dancing with a couple of reluctant gentlemen spectators She directs her dialog to the audience audience audience audi audi- ence with telling story-telling demeanor sarcastic commentary commentary commentary tary and humor that cannot be ignored At one point Seger told a woman near the front row that her companion must be her second husband I know r t r t 1 y I 1 j i 1 A honey he wouldn't have been my first choice either Members of the audience clapped with and for the music swayed tapped and hummed One gentleman lost control a couple of times and blurted out the words without being invited to participate The performance was obviously obviously obviously compelling for members members members mem mem- bers of Clines Cline's generation The play is set between 1957 and 1963 when thirty- thirty year-old year Clines Cline's untimely death in a plane crash sobers the mood of this light musical musical musical musi musi- cal story of friendship Parents or grandparents of traditional college students felt nostalgic toward the set w while h i l e younger generations may may only have recognized recognized recognized some items from old reruns and and Harriet Hamet The large microphone and metal tables and chairs created created created creat creat- ed a simple aura of the Hansens Hansen's costumes though stylish stylish stylish ish for the period could pass for the totally retro look that invades today's fashions periodically In contrast contrast contrast con con- the loud colors and design of Byrds Byrd's outfit remind one why clothes go OUT of style However they do fit her character character character char char- acter and her era student Alley Thomas said I cant can't believe that lasted two hours it was wasso wasso wasso so fun upbeat and sometimes shocking that the time passed very quickly Louise cracked me up with her brazen lan lan- guage guage Artistic Director Richard Scott welcomed the opening night audience and apologized apologized apologized apolo apolo- for a projector malfunction malfunction malfunction tion that prevented the display of some planned effects He encouraged the audience to return for an encore of the complete show but didn't explain in what they missed on opening night Country oldies or nostalgic nostalgic nostalgic I gic music lovers will enjoy hearing another round of The Bodacious Bobcats Band playing and Erica Hansen singing a flavorful mix of Patsy's greatest hits in honk tonk blues and spiritual spiritual spiritual tones Seger's antics will provide amusement and additional additional additional addi addi- entertainment This season opener at the Grand Theatre at South City Campus is worth the time and nominal ticket price Season tickets cost 30 to 65 Future season offerings offerings offerings offer offer- ings include Father of the Bride I Do I Do and Man of La LaMancha Mancha Dont Don't miss the December special A Community Celebration of Handels Handel's Messiah a blend of traditional traditional traditional choral and musical arrangements combined with the spirited energy of Gospel A bonus of this production will be presented in Spanish |
