The two-person musical tells the true story of a friendship between the country star and her biggest fan

For its fall show, Candlelight in Johnstown picked a perennial favorite: the two-person musical Always … Patsy Cline, directed by Kate Vallee. The country-western star may be gone more than 60 years, but she’s lived on in Ted Swindley’s touching homage about Cline and a fan she corresponded with through letters for years.

When Louise, a fiery redheaded divorcee, first hears the country singer on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts, she becomes her number-one fan (Patsy would likely agree). What follows is a friendship journey that developed at one of Cline’s concerts and lasted, through letters, until her untimely death in an airplane crash in 1963 at age 30.

In alternating voices, we learn about Louise’s rough life as a single mother as she addresses the audience from her tiny kitchen. Then, we watch as Cline makes her way from small, unknown stages to The Grand Ole Opry. We see Cline not as a famous star but as a friend and confidante as we witness the beginning of their unlikely friendship. Despite the huge gap in the lives they led, they find they  have more in common than either thought.

With Charlotte Campbell as Cline and Jalyn Courtenay Webb as Louise, it’s a well-paired cast of two — accompanied on stage by a six-piece band including a piano, fiddle, bass and drums.

Josiah Buhre’s excellent set design puts us right in action — including in the audience at The Grand Ole Opry watching Cline.

Jalyn Courtenay Webb as Louise Seger in ‘Always … Patsy Cline’ at Candlelight | Photo: RDGPhotography

A celebration

The musical is truly a celebration of Cline’s life and her music. At times in the theatre it feels like an all-out party. When Louise and her bunch show up way too early for Cline’s concert, Louise mingles with the Candlelight audience. It’s a clever and witty moment for Webb, as you never know how the audience will react. At one point she pulls a man up to two-step with her.

Audience members can’t help but sing along as Campbell expertly (twang and all) belts out all the hits and some of Cline’s lesser-known songs.

With the full effort of the band, we listen as Campbell nails Patsy Cline favorites such as “Back in Baby’s Arms,” “Your Cheating Heart” and “Stupid Cupid.” My favorite was a soulful “Walkin’ After Midnight” — I could’ve closed my eyes and believed I was listening to the great musician herself. Campbell does an excellent job of emulating the famous star with her arms by her sides and eyes that tell you she’s feeling every bit of the impassioned lyrics.

I had the pleasure of seeing this musical once before years ago with the same actors, but at a different theatre on a tiny stage. While I enjoyed it, the first one I saw was much more somber. There were fewer laughs, more reflections, no audience interaction and no band on stage to make you feel like you were a part of it all.

This Candlelight production is more lighthearted, a celebration of the story behind this unique friendship. There are great moments of humor throughout as Louise interacts with the crowd and shows off her backside a time or two.

Compared to most of the large-cast musicals at Candlelight, this two-hander slows things down a bit and turns a loving spotlight on a genuine friendship. As always, the show is paired with a nice dinner from Candlelight’s kitchen, making for a wonderful night out.