Patsy Cline focus of Averitt presentation

Love Always Patsy Cline set for next weekend

The cast of Love Always Patsy Cline continued rehearsals this week in preparation for the upcoming show at the Averitt Center for the Arts. Cast members include Micahlan Boney, fiddle; Brandi Harvey, cast as Patsy Cline; Christie McLendon, cast as Louise Seger; Jerry Roberson, piano; Nathan Smith, lead guitar; John Patrick, upright bass; Frank Farr, drums; and Eddie Thomas, steel guitar. - photo by Photo courtesy of Christie McLendon

W patsy cline cast — The cast of Love Always Patsy Cline continued rehearsals this week in preparation for the upcoming show at the Averitt Center for the Arts. Cast members include Micahlan Boney, fiddle; Brandi Harvey, cast as Patsy Cline; Christie McLendon, cast as Louise Seger; Jerry Roberson, piano; Nathan Smith, lead guitar; John Patrick, upright bass; Frank Farr, drums; and Eddie Thomas, steel guitar. - photo by Photo courtesy of Christie McLendon

The true story of a country music legend will unfold next week at the Averitt Center for the Arts with the upcoming presentation of “Love Always … Patsy Cline.”

Directed locally by Helen Rosengart, the play was created and originally directed by Ted Swindley and is based on a true story about Cline’s friendship with a fan.

Known for timeless hits such as “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “Sweet Dreams” and “Walking After Midnight,” Cline died tragically at age 30 in a 1968 plane crash.

The show takes viewers back to a time when Cline developed a friendship with a fan from Houston named Louise Seger. They met in a Texas honky-tonk and continued a correspondence until Cline’s death, according to Rahn Hutchinson, development director for the Averitt Center.

The musical play offers quaint country humor, realistic emotion and many of Cline’s 27 hits and draws viewers in further with some audience participation.

Cline always signed her letters to Seger “Love Always … Patsy Cline,” which led to the show’s title.

“We’ve got a great show,” Rosengart said. “These girls are amazing.”

The “girls” to which Rosengart refers are show stars Brandi Harvey as Cline and Christie McLendon as Seger.

“We are just so excited about this show,” Rosengart said.

The main performance of “Love Always … Patsy Cline” will be Saturday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the Emma Kelly Theater at the Averitt Center for the Arts on East Main Street. Tickets are $20.

A special showing will be held Friday, March 10, at 8 p.m., following dinner at RJ’s Grill, Rosengart said. Individual tickets are not available for the special presentation, but tables of eight may be reserved at a cost of $700, which includes the cost of dinner and show tickets, she said.

The Friday show benefits the Averitt Center for the Arts Creative Growth Capital Campaign. Dinner begins at 5:30 p.m., and guests will leave the restaurant and go to the Averitt Center for the performance afterward.

Dress is casual or Western attire.

The show is sponsored by Braswell Foods, Rosengart said.

To reserve a table for the March 10 show or to secure individual tickets for the March 11 show, call Jackie Gordon at the box office at (912) 212-2787.

Herald reporter Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.

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