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Aug
07
Friday
Aug
07
Fri
Art :: Theatre
“Always…Patsy Cline”
8:00 PM
O'Shaughnessy Center
“Always…Patsy Cline” Description:
In intimate cabaret-style, "Always...Patsy Cline" returns to Whitefish Theatre Co.'s stage due to popular

demand for a summer encore performance. Performances will be July 29-31, August 1, and August 5-8 at

8:00pm at the O'Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish with a sneak preview performance on July 28. The great,

iconoclastically gutsy, country music singer, Patsy Cline, known for her warmth, wildness, and vast

emotional reservoir of a voice, is a timeless treasure with enduring songs like "Crazy," "Walking After

Midnight," "Your Cheating Heart," "I Fall to Pieces," and "Back in Baby's Arms."

More than just a tribute to the legendary country singer, this musical, based on a true story, recounts Cline's

friendship with a fan from Houston, Louise Seger, an ordinary divorcee with two small children. Patsy

befriended Louise at a Texas honky tonk in 1961 and the two remained pen pals until her untimely death at

the age of 30 in a 1963 plane crash. The title comes from the closing in all of Patsy's letters to Louise -

"Love always, Patsy Cline." Complete with humor and true emotion, the show highlights the tender

friendship and rare camaraderie between Cline and Seger, building upon one woman's heart-aching sound of

lost love and loneliness coming through the radio waves to another woman's heart-worn soul. Cline meant

something different to her original fans, like Seger, who came to realize "it isn't just the music that's lovely,

it's also the singer" -Austin Chronicle.

Borrowing the sentiments of the Charleston City Paper, "Vintage dresses and bouffant hair do not a Patsy

make. You don't have a show unless you have the voice." With seeming ease, Amanda Duff Caldwell,

starring as Patsy, has the vocal chords to revive the iconic country legend with style. "Always" packs 23

songs into two hours -- a real testament to Caldwell's voice, which reproduces Cline's sultry stylings and

gestures to the delight of the cabaret audience, who are apt to feel they've stepped back 50 years and are

sitting at a Patsy Cline concert. Merge this with the fast-talking, boisterous, and ballsy narrative of Louise

Seger played by Scarlett Schindler and direction from veteran director Nancy Nei, and you've got yourself an

evening to remember.

"Returning to 'Always...Patsy Cline' is like returning to a joyful lovefest," says Nei. "It's a family reunion

where everyone - cast and crew, band, backup singers, director, and audiences - are truly happy to be there."

Adds Nei, "We are fortunate that nearly 100% of the Patsy 'tribe' is returning." The band, The Bodacious

Bobcats, includes director Karla West, Dave Griffith, Connie Rudie, John Goodrich, and Mike Wright,

along with backup singers Rava Graves, Joey Retz, Sandy Matheny, and Lisa Calloway. A nostalgic night of

theatre is also brought to life with authentic vintage costumes by Lonnie Porro, technical direction by Colin

Arakaki, and stage managing by Kellie Hoffman.

Tickets are $25 for reserved table or mezzanine seating with food and wine available for purchase. Tickets

for a sneak preview performance on July 28 are $15 sold only at the door. Tickets can be purchased at the

Box Office, 1 Central Ave., Whitefish, or by calling 862-5371. Box office hours are from 10 a.m.to 4 p.m.

Monday through Friday and one hour before performance times. Tickets can also be purchased online at

www.whitefishtheatreco.org. This show is sponsored by Rocky Mountain Transportation.
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Age Group: All Ages
Venue: O'Shaughnessy Center
Address: 1 Central Ave Whitefish, MT 59937
Phone: 862 5371

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