After portraying the late country legend Patsy Cline in three productions, Anne Karner is starting to feel a little like her.
Jennifer Meyers / The Citizen
The Merry-Go-Round Playhouse production of “Always...Patsy Cline” will run through Saturday, Sept. 29.
The Merry-Go-Round Playhouse production of “Always...Patsy Cline” will run through Saturday, Sept. 29.
Karner sings 25 of Cline's classic songs in her fourth turn as the singer at the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, which will host “Always...Patsy Cline” through Saturday, Sept. 29.
At one point in the show, which takes place during a Cline concert in Houston's Esquire Ballroom, that feeling of kinship to the country star hits Karner the hardest.
“As a musical theater performer I don't often get to be the rock star, but there I get to loosen up” she said. “That's the moment when I feel like Patsy and associate with her as a performer.”
Houston theater director Ted Swindley wrote “Always...Patsy Cline” in 1988 as both a well-rounded Cline concert and a theatrical experience about the life of the eponymous singer.
The cast consists solely of Cline and Louise Seger, a Houston housewife whom Cline befriended over the course of her singing career. Cline's life story is told through Seger as she narrates her fondest memories of her friendship with the singer.
Thomasin Savaiano will take on the role of Seger in the playhouse performance.
Director Steve Bebout feels the scene where Seger tells audiences about the first time she heard Cline on the radio will resonate strongly with them.
“We've all had that moment when we first heard certain artists, and we get to watch her have it,” he said.
As Karner sings Cline's most beloved works, it will soon become evident why Seger was so enchanted. Bebout believes Karner's numbers in “Always...Patsy Cline” will be warmly received by fans of country and all other styles of music.
“Even people who don't know country know Patsy Cline,” Bebout said. “She's one artist whom people don't realize has many songs that have become American standards.”
Bebout added, “My running joke is that every time we rehearse a song, I say it's my favorite.”
The role of Cline challenges Karner's voice to match people's recollections of the first time they heard one of her songs, such as “Crazy” or “Walkin' After Midnight,” on the radio.
“I have to make my voice do things that she did naturally,” Karner said. “She had a specific style.”
Karner faces the additional challenge of performing those songs while telling Cline's life story. In spite of a poor upbringing and near-fatal 1961 car crash, the singer not only survived but successfully rose to the top of the country and pop charts.
“The strength of her as a person is kind of uncharacteristic of women of that era,” Karner said. “Hopefully I can fuse that into her music and make it shine, and not just be a juke box,” Karner said.
Karner's repeated portrayal of Cline has already received the stamp of approval from the late singer's estate after a representative saw one of Karner's performances.
“I think it's an honor to portray a real person with a real legacy,” Karner said.
Staff writer David Wilcox can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
If you go
What: “Always...Patsy Cline”
When: Performances run through Saturday, Sept. 29
Where: Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, 6861 E. Lake Road, Owasco
Tickets: $25 to $39
For details: Call 255-1785 or visit merry-go-round.com
At one point in the show, which takes place during a Cline concert in Houston's Esquire Ballroom, that feeling of kinship to the country star hits Karner the hardest.
“As a musical theater performer I don't often get to be the rock star, but there I get to loosen up” she said. “That's the moment when I feel like Patsy and associate with her as a performer.”
Houston theater director Ted Swindley wrote “Always...Patsy Cline” in 1988 as both a well-rounded Cline concert and a theatrical experience about the life of the eponymous singer.
The cast consists solely of Cline and Louise Seger, a Houston housewife whom Cline befriended over the course of her singing career. Cline's life story is told through Seger as she narrates her fondest memories of her friendship with the singer.
Thomasin Savaiano will take on the role of Seger in the playhouse performance.
Director Steve Bebout feels the scene where Seger tells audiences about the first time she heard Cline on the radio will resonate strongly with them.
“We've all had that moment when we first heard certain artists, and we get to watch her have it,” he said.
As Karner sings Cline's most beloved works, it will soon become evident why Seger was so enchanted. Bebout believes Karner's numbers in “Always...Patsy Cline” will be warmly received by fans of country and all other styles of music.
“Even people who don't know country know Patsy Cline,” Bebout said. “She's one artist whom people don't realize has many songs that have become American standards.”
Bebout added, “My running joke is that every time we rehearse a song, I say it's my favorite.”
The role of Cline challenges Karner's voice to match people's recollections of the first time they heard one of her songs, such as “Crazy” or “Walkin' After Midnight,” on the radio.
“I have to make my voice do things that she did naturally,” Karner said. “She had a specific style.”
Karner faces the additional challenge of performing those songs while telling Cline's life story. In spite of a poor upbringing and near-fatal 1961 car crash, the singer not only survived but successfully rose to the top of the country and pop charts.
“The strength of her as a person is kind of uncharacteristic of women of that era,” Karner said. “Hopefully I can fuse that into her music and make it shine, and not just be a juke box,” Karner said.
Karner's repeated portrayal of Cline has already received the stamp of approval from the late singer's estate after a representative saw one of Karner's performances.
“I think it's an honor to portray a real person with a real legacy,” Karner said.
Staff writer David Wilcox can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
If you go
What: “Always...Patsy Cline”
When: Performances run through Saturday, Sept. 29
Where: Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, 6861 E. Lake Road, Owasco
Tickets: $25 to $39
For details: Call 255-1785 or visit merry-go-round.com
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