"ALWAYS . . . PATSY CLINE," Desert Star Dinner Theatre, Murray, open-ended run (266-7600). Running time: 90 minutes (no intermission).
MURRAY — "Always . . . Patsy Cline" could be the country equivalent of "Forever Plaid." It has the same kind of audience appeal.
Following Equity and local productions at the Utah Shakespearean Festival, the Egyptian Theatre in Park City and the Grand Theatre (twice during the past two seasons), Desert Star Theatres have an all-new professional edition in an open-ended run in the company's intimate dinner theater.
I've already been asked by a few friends how it compares. Well, I never compare the double-cast ensembles in some other local theaters, and I don't compare repeated visits by national touring companies. Any production — either local or touring — should stand on its own merits. And any live performance can change from night to night, depending on the chemistry between the players and the audience.
Desert Star's production bristles with energy, as directed by Scott Holman, with some input and tweaking by New York City-based Ted Swindley, the show's original creator and director. And it features an A+ cast — Cindy Summers as Patsy Cline and local Equity artist Annette Wright as Patsy's No.1 fan, Houston housewife Louise Seger.
On Friday's opening night, before a packed house, Summers proved without a doubt that her extensive credentials are no fluke. She's played Patsy since 1966 all over, from Witchita, Kan., to nearly 2 1/2 years in the Denver Center to a sold-out weeklong run in Fort Worth's 3,000-seat Bass Hall. She knows what she's doing and does it very well.
Through nearly 22 songs (and some half-dozen costume changes), Summers delivers such hits as "Sweet Dreams," "Walkin' After Midnight," "Your Cheatin' Heart," "I Fall to Pieces," "Crazy" and other classics from the legendary Cline's short-lived career.
Told through the reminiscing of one of her first and most loyal fans, the show begins in 1956, when Louise Seger first heard Cline singing on the "Arthur Godfrey Show," and it follows Cline's career until her death in an airplane crash just seven years later. The production was inspired by letters the two exchanged over the years.
Annette Wright has the perfect, take-no-guff edge to play Louise, who hounded a Houston DJ to play her records over and over again, then struck up a devoted long-distance friendship with the singer.
There are poignant moments when Patsy and Louise share their feelings about their less-than-perfect marriages and quite a bit of sassy humor when Louise takes Patsy under her wing during a Houston honky-tonk appearance.
Summers' well-trained alto voice and commanding stage presence turn the intimate Desert Star venue into a pint-size version of Grand Ole' Opry.
She's backed up by a terrific six-piece band — "The Bodacious Bobcats" — lead by pianist Ben Mayfield.
E-mail: ivan@desnews.com