Lucas: Two Patsy Cline musicals coming to Beaufort, Hilton Head
If you frequently find yourself humming the first few bars of “Walkin’ After Midnight” or “I Fall to Pieces,” you’re in for some good news.
Not one but two Patsy Cline-themed musicals are coming to the Lowcountry.
“People just love Patsy Cline’s music,” said Ben Wolfe, director and producer for the Southeastern Summer Theatre Institute.
The Hilton Head Island-based theater group, formerly based in Savannah and known as Savannah Summer Theatre, is bringing its popular “Always ... Patsy Cline” back to the island beginning April 6.
“And this show always does so well because it transcends age,” he said.
People just love Patsy Cline’s music ...and this show always does so well because it transcends age.
Ben Wolfe director and producer for the Southeastern Summer Theatre Institute
The group brought the show to Hilton Head last summer, and it was met with sold-out audiences.
“The last two weeks, we were turning away people steadily,” he said. “What’s been cool (this year) is the number of repeat customers.”
The Hilton Head show is based on the true story of Cline’s friendship with Houston fan Louise Seger. Seger became friends with Cline in a Texas honky-tonk in 1961 and continued to correspond with the star until Cline’s death in 1963 at the age of 30.
This year’s show will once again feature longtime “Hee Haw” cast member Misty Rowe as Seger and Nashville-based singer-songwriter Sara Catherine Wheatley as Cline.
The musical features some 27 Cline hits from “Crazy” to “Sweet Dreams.”
Next up is “A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline” which will appear for one night — April 8 — at the University of South Carolina Beaufort Center for the Arts.
Written and conceived by Dean Regan and produced by Springer Theatricals and the Springer Opera House, the official State Theatre of Georgia, “A Closer Walk” tells the story of the late singer’s career from her honky-tonk days all the way through to her more famous years performing at the Grand Ole Opry and Carnegie Hall.
Backed by a live band of singers and musicians, Cline, played by Sandia Ahlers, performs 22 of Cline’s greatest hits and interacts with Cline’s hometown disk jockey — “Little Big Man” — played by Russ Yoe.
Mindy Lucas: 843-706-8152, mlucas@islandpacket.com, @MindyatIPBG
If You Go
“Always...Patsy Cline” will be at the Hilton Head Preparatory School Main Street Theatre, 3000 Main St., Hilton Head, April 6-16.
Show times are 8 p.m. April 6-9 and 12-16, and at 2 p.m. April 9, 10 and 16.
Tickets are $40 with discounts for groups and ages 11 and younger.
Tickets are available online or at the door, depending on availability.
For details, call 866-749-2228 or visit www.patsyclinehhi.com.
“A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline” will start at 7:30 p.m. April 8 at the University of South Carolina Beaufort Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St., Beaufort.
Tickets are $25 with discounts for students and seniors.
For details, call 843-521-4145 or visit www.uscbcenterforthearts.com.
This story was originally published March 28, 2016 at 5:47 AM with the headline "Lucas: Two Patsy Cline musicals coming to Beaufort, Hilton Head."