BWW Previews: HEATHER KRUEGER BRINGS PATSY CLINE TO LIFE at Straz's Jaeb Theater

Heather Krueger's excitement and enthusiasm about getting back on stage are palpable, even through the telephone. While Broadway remains dark until mid-2021, the Straz Center is slowly opening in a brand new world under strict CDC and OSHA health and safety pandemic guidelines.

Heather was performing in Shout at the Straz when the world shut down. Like everyone who's career existed because of theatre, she started feeling panicked about what that meant for her future.

"You go through a lot of emotions. I thought, 'now I'm going to be a mother of two who's going to have to start over by getting a job at Target or Starbucks or whatever.' It was very heartbreaking."

Heather began singing as a child and discovered her passion for theatre in her teens. She began doing community theatre and then graduated from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with a musical theatre degree.

"I just started working. Little opportunities came up here and there, and that's how it started."

When into the pandemic, many months later, David Jenkins texted her about a role, she instantly jumped at the chance to be back on stage.

Created by Ted Swindley, debuting on November 5 and running through December 6, Heather plays the lead role in Always... Patsy Cline, the legendary country singer who died tragically in a plane crash at only 30 years old and examines her friendship with Louise, a fan she met at a Texas country bar.

"I was thrilled they were open to the idea of trying something and had the space available that's perfectly suited to do safely indoors at a quality level, and also for people that are hungry for theatre to happen to be able to come out and see something. I was ecstatic. The Jaeb is kind of my home away from home, so that was even more lovely," she said and quipped, "And I didn't have to get a job at Starbucks yet...."

She explained that any fans of Patsy Cline would be pleased with the show concept. Louise is the narrator who tells the story of the relationship that develops between these two women.

"It's wonderful to have the opportunity to perform again, but to come back to perform as Patsy Cline has been exciting, overwhelming, a lot of pressure, but I'm loving it. My partner Diana Rogers who plays Louise has been a saint and super encouraging. I love Patsy, so I want to do right by her," she said. "Louise is so delightful that you can't not love her. It's a fun show, and then there are these moments that touch your heart. It's sweet, heartfelt, and a good night out to get away from the election, Covid, all the stuff."

Despite featuring some of Patsy's unforgettable hits such as "Crazy," "I Fall to Pieces," and "Walking After Midnight," Heather's favorite song to perform is "Lovesick Blues."

"She sings with so much soul that you can't help but be with her at every note," she said. "' Lovesick Blues' is just kind of sassy, which I feel she was. She was a fun gal that liked to have a good time."

Heather hopes at the close of the show that everyone also had a good time.

"If they close their eyes, I hope I sounded like her. She's not an easy person to emulate. I hope they had a great time, loved the two awesome actresses," she teased, "and will tell their friends to see it. In this crazy world we're living in, with a shielded cover over the arts, I hope the audience will say, 'yay Straz Center for making me feel safe to see theatre. Music touches people in a way that's so multifaceted. It creates memories, brings back memories, and makes you feel love, joy, and sadness. To think of not being able to experience that in a live situation in the world is so disheartening to me. I hope people realize how much we need live theatre and live music in our lives and make sure we make that comeback."

Always... Patsy Cline runs November 5 through December. Tickets are available online at https://www.strazcenter.org/Events/Straz/Shows/2021_Theater/Always-Patsy-Cline. Temperature checks, masks, and social distancing is required. To learn more about Straz Center's full safety protocols, visit https://www.strazcenter.org/Plan-Your-Visit/COVID-19-SAFETY-PRECAUTIONS.

To post a comment, you must register and login.