Patsy Cline remembered in musical

By CONNIE PILSTON SHOEMAKER Eagle Correspondent

June 25, 2004 Last Updated: January 06, 2005 12:14 PM Community

Show set for BC3's Succop

The Musical Theatre Guild and the Butler County Community College are bringing Patsy Cline, the legendary icon of country music, to center stage at The Succop Theater.

"Always... Patsy Cline," a musical based on the true friendship of Cline and a Texas fan named Louise, combines humor and heart with dozens of hit songs performed live, including "Your Cheatin' Heart," "Walkin' After Midnight" and Willie Nelson's "Crazy."

Kelly Benner of Wexford, who plays Cline, has been working on crooning and tuning her voice in the ways of the immortal Cline.

"Learning her style with all its swings, trills and growls has been a real experience," said Benner. "If I was going to portray her I want it to be as accurate as possible so I am working on nailing her style."

Benner was cast by Don Boardman, who approached her with the idea.

"I had heard they were going to do the show and I knew about Patsy from things that I had read," said Benner. "It is said that she could sing anything and everything. I thought that was a good challenge and decided to do it."

Benner wasn't a fan when she began to learn the songs, but she now has more of an appreciation for what Cline accomplished during her short life.

"It would have been interesting to see how much farther she would have gone," said Benner. "Her following was amazing and she still has many fans out there."

In the musical, Louise's friendship with the then-quickly-rising country music star blossoms after the star appeared on the Arthur Godfrey Show. Louise becomes a fan, requesting her local country western radio station to play "I Fall To Pieces" several times each day.

Through a chance meeting, the two women become fast friends and share their joys and sorrows throughout the two-year period prior to Cline's death in an airplane crash.

The versatile Davlin Hupp of Cabot plays Louise.

"Louise is like a lot of women - she is single with two small kids who has to work for a living to support her family," said Hupp. "She seems like a stereotype of a Texas woman - red teased hair, loud, opinionated and gum popping.

"She meets a kindred spirit and sister in Patsy. The first time she hears Patsy sing she says, 'My God, that is how I have always wanted to sing!' They make an instant connection when they first meet. Patsy ends up at Louise's house for "bacon and eggs" and ends up spending the night."

Being from Georgia, Hupp doesn't have to fake the southern accent, but she is tweaking it a bit.

"I already have some natural accent to build on but I have to make my accent broader, brassier and more pronounced," she said.

Hupp is no stranger to the musical theatre stage, but this role is a bit different. Her portrayal is mostly dialogue, which she said is a challenge.

"I do most of the talking and I have to entertain and have a strong enough personality and force on stage to keep the show going," Hupp said. "I am mainly a singer who acts, but this show I don't get to rely on my voice but totally on my acting ability to hold the audience's attention."

The musical director for the show is Karen O'Donnell. She is also the co-producer along with Phil Ball.

O'Donnell will be directing a six-piece country band, which includes a pedal steel guitar, piano, drums, bass guitar and fiddle.

This production is a joint venture between the Musical Theatre Guild and the community college's Cultural Center.

Larry Stock, the Cultural Center's director, knew the show would be a good fit for Butler.

"I wanted to present theater during the summer and it seemed like a natural connection to work with the MTG," Stock said. "As far as the choice of shows, I had the opportunity to work with show writer Ted Swindley while working in Myrtle Beach and had seen the show produced by Ted.

"I fell in love with the show and thought Butler audiences would enjoy it."