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Last updateFri, 06 Feb 2015 4pm
Deli Ocho

Hit show ‘Always Patsy Cline’ baptizes new Ajijic theater

As predicted, the long-awaited revival of My, My How Nice Productions’ production of Ted Swindley’s “Always Patsy Cline,” directed by Roseann Wilshere, was a runaway success, enjoying standing ovations and demands for encores at every one of its eight performances in early January. 

This was the first production to be performed at My My’s new Bravo! Theatre on Río Bravo in Ajijic, which opened its doors on New Year’s Day. Its cleverly designed performance space provides both actors and audience with a very intimate and performance-enhancing ambience and it’s hard to imagine a better location for this tribute to the gifted, but tragically fated singer.

The show is named for Irving Berlin’s “Always,” written in 1925, which Cline turned into a classic country ballad. She recorded it on February 5, 1963, exactly one month to the day before she was killed in an airplane crash near Dyersburg, Tennessee, aged just 30. 

The storyline details the real life friendship of Patsy Cline (Patteye Simpson) and Louise Seger (Jayme Littlejohn) and recounts how in 1957, listening to the Arthur Godfrey radio show, Seger heard a recording of Cline singing”Walkin’ After Midnight” and became an instant fan. Thereafter she frequently pestered the local disc jockey to play Cline’s songs on a daily basis.

Littlejohn’s portrayal of Seger was expertly poignant, hysterically funny and outrageous by turn. By 1961, Seger was a divorced single mom. Informing the audience as an aside that she was working as an electronics technician, she then feistily justifies herself with, “Well hell, we can’t all be hairdressers!”

This was the year when, during one of her requests for a Cline song, DJ Arthur Godfrey tipped Seger off that Cline was coming to perform at the Esquire Ballroom in Houston.  Seger went to the concert, arriving far too early and met Cline who joined her at her table.  They became friends and Seger gave her a bed for the night after the show. The next morning Cline left for her next gig in Dallas and although they never met again, they kept in regular touch by mail and phone for the two years until Cline died. 

The simple set included a piano, dresser with radio and coffee cups and a table with matching stools. In the middle was a very small performance dais.

A very gifted performer, Littlejohn rushed about the stage involving her audience in her reminiscences and seeking their agreement with some of her comments. 

The entire interaction was vibrant and extremely well done and the audience responded accordingly – especially when she hauled one member, Don Challoner, to his feet to dance with her to the intermission curtain number “South of the Border Down Mexico Way.”

Expertly accompanied by Musical Director Timothy G. Ruff Welch on piano, Simpson’s superb singing featured 18 of Cline’s best known songs, including: Crazy, I Fall to Pieces, Sweet Dreams of You, You Don’t Love Me, and I’ve Got Your Picture. 

Simpson also had her work cut out with the multiple changes of costume, several being glamorous cocktail and evening dresses, demanded by the show’s unfolding events. 

The interactions between Simpson, Littlejohn and Welch were well played and entirely plausible. The many transitions in each act were completely seamless, with some diversions being created by Littlejohn as she rushed around the stage pushing her table and stools set, accompanied by appropriate revving noises – to everyone’s amusement. 

The entire production was obviously greatly enjoyed by everyone present and over all too soon.  It was a superb show with which to baptize the new theater, and Bravo! to all concerned.

House Manager: Russell Mack. Stage Manager: Graham Miller. Set decoration and construction by Rob Stupple, Lynn Phelan and Richard Bansbach. Lights and Sound: Bill Vincent and Kitt Rudeen. Dressers: Kate Adams and Wendy Petersen. Box Office: Christine Skrepetz.