ALWAYS…PATSY CLINE Opens This Month At Garden Theatre

Garden Theatre will complete its 2023-2024 season with the heart-warming musical story, Always...Patsy Cline.

Always...Patsy Cline, is more than a tribute to the legendary country singer who died tragically at age 30 in a plane crash in 1963. The show is based on a true story about Cline's friendship with a fan named Louise Seger. Directed by Katrina Ploof, this will be the third show under her direction on the Garden stage, after The Odd Couple and Deathtrap. Performances begin Friday, April 26 at 7:30 pm with a limited run through Sunday, May 19, 2024.

Louise, a fan from Houston who befriended Cline in a Texas honky-tonk in 1961, continued a correspondence with the star until her death. The musical play, complete with down-home country humor, sincere emotion, and a heart-warming look at a special friendship, includes many of Patsy's unforgettable hits such as "Crazy," "I Fall to Pieces," "Sweet Dreams," and "Walking After Midnight"...27 songs in all. The show's title was inspired by Cline's letters to Seger, which were consistently signed "Love ALWAYS... Patsy Cline."

Director Katrina Ploof says, "In its long history, the Garden Theatre has heard many voices, from the iconic artists of the golden age of film to the young theatre artists of today, but no voice is as iconic as the one arriving at the Garden on April 26. Patsy Cline continues to be one of the most beloved and recognized artists of the last 100 years - and it seems so right that she will be settling in at the Garden for the spring of 2024!"

"We're thrilled to have Katrina at the helm of this crowd-pleaser of a show," says Rob Winn Anderson, Producing Artistic Director for the Garden. "Her love for Patsy's and Louise's story shines through and will be evident to our Garden audiences."

The two-person cast stars Keisha Gill McNair as Patsy Cline, the soulful singer who made such an indelible impact on country music in her short life. This is McNair's debut on the Garden stage. She has performed on many stages in Central and North Florida. Some of her favorite experiences include Diana Goodman in Next to Normal (Polk State Theatre); Alice Beane in Titanic; Rosie in Mamma Mia; Madam/Congregant in The Hunchback of Notre Dame; Dolly in One Man, Two Guvnors; Madame De La Grande Bouche in Beauty and the Beast; Miss Andrew in Mary Poppins; Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar; and Rona Lisa Peretti in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Theatre Winter Haven).

Lucy Carney, also making her debut on the Garden stage, stars as Louise. Lucy has been performing in the Greater Orlando area for over 30 years, primarily at Orlando Shakespeare Theatre in over a dozen new plays during the annual PlayFest. She has also performed with the former Mad Cow Theatre, Civic Theatre of Central Florida, and notably was "Mrs. Potts" to McNair's "Wardrobe" in Theatre Winter Haven's Beauty and the Beast (under the direction of none other than Katrina Ploof with music direction by Philip King).

Along with Katrina Ploof as director, the production team includes music direction by Philip King, scenic design by William Spratt, lighting design by Erin Miner, sound design by Jesse Munro, costume design by Gabs Gutierrez, hair and makeup design by Mark Rampmeyer, and properties design by Cassie Klinga. The stage manager is Michelle Shea. A live band will include instrumentation such as piano, fiddle, bass, electric guitar, drums, and of course, steel guitar.

Always...Patsy Cline: Created and originally directed by Ted Swindley - based on a true story. LICENSED BY THE FAMILY AND ESTATE OF PATSY CLINE. All rights reserved. Musical clearances secured and used by permission. Any taping, filming, recording or broadcast of this play (musical or otherwise) is strictly prohibited.

Always...Patsy Cline will be performed April 26 - May 19, 2024, The performance schedule is Thursday at 7:30 pm, Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturday at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm, and Sunday at 2:00 pm, plus select Wednesdays at 2:00 pm. The Sunday, May 5, 2024 2:00 pm performance will have Audio Description.

Tickets are on sale now starting at $45 and may be purchased by calling 407-877-4736, at the Garden Theatre Box Office at 160 West Plant Street in Winter Garden, or online at gardentheatre.org.

This project is funded in part by Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program; the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support for Garden Theatre is provided by generous individual donors and United Arts of Central Florida, your local agency for the arts.

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