Review: Always, Patsy Cline at Free Range Humans

By Andrea Bush

Running Time: Approx. 2 hours and 15 minutes with a 10 minute intermission

Patsy Cline, a shooting star on the country music scene in the late 1950s and early 1960s, was the first woman to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Even if you aren’t a country music fan, you likely have at least a passing familiarity with some of her hits, such as “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” and “Walkin’ After Midnight” (notably, one of the first songs to crossover within the Country and Pop music charts). Free Range Humans‘ latest offering, Always…Patsy Cline, created by Ted Swindley and Directed by Elizabeth Lucas, with Music Direction by Marci Shegogue, is based on the true, but debated, story of Cline’s unlikely friendship with Louise Seger, a fan from Houston. The pair met in 1961 at a Texas honky-tonk where Cline was performing, became fast friends literally overnight, and maintained a correspondence until Patsy Cline’s death in 1963. A jukebox musical, Always…Patsy Cline includes 27 songs, combining Patsy’s unmistakable contralto with Louise’s somewhat wacky storytelling to send a love letter through time, both to and from Patsy Cline.

Christine Mosere as Louise Seger and Shelly Lynn Walsh as Patsy Cline. Credit: Buddy Griffin

I may not recall the first time I heard Patsy Cline’s voice as vividly as Louise did, but her music is at the heart of some of my favorite memories of my dad. So I packed my nostalgia and love for all things Patsy, along with my absolute awe at Free Range Human’s inaugural production (a near-flawless Murder Ballad), in the car and made the trek from Baltimore to Frederick. My expectations were high and I was excited to check out the show at Sky Stage, an interesting outdoor theatre space.

Unfortunately, my expectations took a hit immediately upon my arrival as I got out of the car and peered into the empty Sky Stage. Alas, Mother Nature had other plans and heavy rain throughout the afternoon had rendered the venue unfit for the performance. A sign board out front confirmed that the performance had been moved to McClintock Distilling, so I headed down the road and pointed the way for a couple of wandering patrons (note to whomever made the signage: a right arrow would be a helpful addition to clarify “just over the bridge”).

I arrived at McClintock Distilling with just under 20 minutes to show time and things were a bit turbulent, to say the least. It was very clear that this production does not have a Producer on the team whose focus is the big-picture anticipation of Plans B-Z (Director Elizabeth Lucas pulls double-duty as Producer – this happens a lot in small theatre and this is the perfect example of why it shouldn’t). I have to applaud the perseverance of the production team with the last-minute move, getting the show underway with only about a 15-minute delay.

From a production-value perspective, I have to say the show was somewhat less than I expected from the same team that put together the stellar production of Murder Ballad in June. While some of the issues certainly stem from the venue change, some seem inherent to the production.

The staging of the show at the distillery faced challenges, as the actors and audience were on the same level, which I know is not the case at Sky Stage. They did their best to mitigate the problem with a simple set including a small platform, high pub tables, and bar stools.

Shelly Lynn Walsh as Patsy Cline. Credit: Buddy Griffin

I enjoyed the use of period-appropriate pieces that served as both props and set dressing. Louise’s “kitchen table” was set with a radio, kettle, and coffee mugs that may well have come straight out of my grandmother’s house and Patsy’s dressing area was set simply with an appropriate stand mirror. My only qualm with the props was the metal water bottles used by both actors throughout the production where a simple carafe and water glass would have been more appropriate (if breakage was a concern, clear plastic would still have the right look). It may seem trivial, but it took me right out of the story every time.

Costume design by Heather C. Jackson was effective overall and she did a great job of capturing Patsy Cline’s look, especially the Western outfits that Cline’s mother made for her early appearances. I’d have liked to have seen a better-fitted costume on Louise, particularly given the several mentions in the script of her clothes fitting like a glove, but her denim-on-denim look was appropriate.

I commend Lighting Designer/Technical Director TJ Lukacsina for rigging up a couple of lighting instruments in the distillery to augment the existing lighting when others might have made do with just the ambient light in the time they had to set up. I know Lukacsina and his work well and I would have liked to have seen his actual design for the show at Sky Stage. While I can’t say that his work at the distillery was a lighting design, per se, I appreciate his effort to elevate the production as best he could given the constraints of time and space.

Sound design by Logan Waters was plagued with issues of balance between the actors and musicians. According to Waters’ bio, his background is in design for a concert setting. I am hopeful that Waters will continue to learn and grow as a theatre technician, but, for this production, I missed almost every bit of underscored dialogue, as well as much of the vocals sung in a lower register (hugely problematic in a show about a famous contralto).

Music Director Marci Shegogue has assembled an excellent music team for the production and Walter “Bobby” McCoy did a great job subbing in as conductor and keys the night I attended. McCoy and the rest of the band – Jimi Cupino (Guitar), Buddy Griffin (Pedal Steel), Justin Thomas (Drums), Andrew Nixon (Fiddle), and Ben Rikhoff (Bass) – were largely enjoyable throughout.

Christine Mosere as Louise Seger and Shelly Lynn Walsh as Patsy Cline. Credit: Buddy Griffin

Always…Patsy Cline is a 2-woman show and is distinctly challenging in that both of the “characters” were real people – one of whom had one of the most recognizable voices in music history. It takes time for an actor to find a character and even more time to embody a real, recognizable person. It takes time to build relationships between actors and enable them to portray an immediate connection and enduring friendship on stage. It takes time to know a story well enough to break the fourth wall and tell it directly to an audience as if it’s your own. The Free Range Human’s model of an almost impossibly short rehearsal period may have worked against them this time around.

As Louise Seger, Christine Mosere becomes the narrator of the story when she should be the storyteller – a subtle distinction, but an important one. Nearly the entire plot, as it were, of the play consists of Mosere telling the audience perhaps the biggest story of Louise’s life: the night she met and befriended Patsy Cline. This is a story that Louise probably told to anyone who would listen until the words came as easily as breathing. While Mosere is funny and larger than life as Louise, much of her storytelling feels awkward and forced and she doesn’t seem quite settled into the material. Honestly, it’s a bit difficult to critique because, if she had been doing a one-woman show or a standup routine, I probably would have loved her. But in the context of this show, her performance made it difficult for me to believe the story and, therefore, believe the connection between the two women.

Shelly Lynn Walsh as Patsy Cline. Credit: Buddy Griffin

Shelly Lynn Walsh was vocally on point as Patsy Cline. Despite false starts on a couple of numbers, Walsh captured Cline’s unique voice and style to a tee and powered through a remarkable 27 songs. I appreciate that she embodied Cline’s vocal stylings without coming off as an impersonator – although I equally appreciate the attention to detail on the more well-known songs, especially Crazy. For all the crowd-pleasing numbers in the show, I have to say that my absolute favorite was If I Could See the World (Through the Eyes of a Child), offered as a prayer from a homesick Cline. I don’t tend to like when jukebox musicals shoehorn songs into the plot, but I actually preferred Walsh’s performance during those moments over the numbers where Patsy was performing on stage, television, or radio, as Walsh seemed more invested in those scenes. For as fantastic as Walsh’s musical performance was, the storytelling was lacking for her, as well, particularly in relation to Mosere’s Louise. I simply did not believe the connection and friendship between the two, which is the heart of the entire show.

Taken individually, the performances in Free Range Human’s production of Always…Patsy Cline are each enjoyable in their own right. Christine Mosere is sassy and funny as Louise Seger. Shelly Lynn Walsh is a musical knockout as Patsy Cline. This is, overall, a decent production – it’s just not a complete one and it’s not the level I expected from this team. I am hopeful that the actors will settle in and find a connection as the run continues, and that the production team will work out the few snags they had. Free Range Humans is definitely a company to keep your eye on and I truly can’t wait to see what they do next.

Always… Patsy Cline (a Free Range Humans production) will play through September 2 at Sky Stage, 59 S. Carrol Street, Frederick, MD. Tickets may be purchased at the door or online.
Additional performances will be held September 13-16 at the BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown, MD. tickets may be purchased at the door or online.

Review: A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company

By Jason Crawford Samios-Uy

Running Time: Approx. 2 hours and 30 minutes with one 15-minute intermissions

William Shakespeare is not everyone’s cup of tea, but his work has well outlasted him and is being produced regularly throughout the world so, he must have done something right. His stories are timeless and can relate to anyone in any era which is what, I think, helps the longevity of his work. The comedies are my personal favorite, but, that’s just me, and Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s latest offering, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, is on top of my list so, I went in with lofty expectations. However, this production, Directed by Gerrad Alex Taylor did not disappoint in any way.

Elana Michelle as Hippolyta and Michael Toperzer as Theseus. Credit: Shealyn Jae Photography

Briefly, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a fanciful triste through the city and wood of ancient Athens. A young woman, Hermia, is betrothed to one noble man, Demetrius, while in love with another, Lysander, who just so happens to be in love with her. Bring in Helena, who is in love with Demetrius, but the feelings are not mutual. Enter the Fairy King, Oberon, and Fairy Queen, Titania who are having their own lover’s quarrel, and a sort of practical joke including dew from a certain plant that makes a person fall in love with the first person they see after waking up. Throw a little troublemaking imp named Puck in the mix and you have a farcical comedy that has lasted hundreds of years… for good reason.

Designing a set for an outdoor setting can be challenging but Daniel O’Brien’s Set Design is impeccable as it is simple. Not calling for much in the way of scenery, O’Brien has managed to turn this small corner of space in the midst of “ruins” of a building at a historic park into the solid and larger than life Athens, as well as a blissful and fanciful forest in which fairies and imps romp, all with the opening and closing of two large canvases. It works beautifully with the piece and adds great value to the production as a whole.

Jose Guzman as Nick Bottom and Alana Michelle. Credit: Shealyn Jae Photography

For Costume Design, Heather C. Jackson chose to keep it traditional with colorful flowing robes and sashes that work extremely well for this traditional setting. Her design is well thought-out and the ensemble seems comfortable in their wardrobe which helps the overall performance of the piece. It’s apparent she’s familiar with the both the era and the fanciful theme and it shows in her impeccable design.

Gerrad Alex Taylor take the reins as Director of this production and it couldn’t be in better hands. His choice to use a traditional setting is wise and takes everything back to basics. So many companies like to adapt and modernize Shakespeare’s work (which I’m all for), but it’s good to see that the traditional setting still works and works brilliantly. Taylor has a strong comprehension of the material and his whimsical and fantastic vision is clear in every scene. The pacing is on point and the staging is engaging every step of the way. Taylor also takes on double duty as Fight Choreographer and he hits the nail on the head with this aspect, as well. Each fight is finely tuned and exciting making for an overall delightful experience. Kudos to Gerrad Alex Taylor for a superb production.

Moving on to the performance aspect of this production, I’d be amiss if I didn’t mention that the entire ensemble did their part and performed with 100% effort. It’s easy to see this cast is comfortable with each other and their chemistry is second to none.

Michael Toperzer as Oberon and Elana Michelle as Titania. Credit: Shealyn Jae Photography

Michael Toperzer as Oberon and Elana Michelle as Titania shine in these roles, as well as their takes on the characters of Theseus and Hippolyta. Their interaction with and off of each other draw the audience in and Toperzer and Michelle portray the complex relationship between Oberon and Titania beautifully and with confidence making for intense and engaging performances from both.

Christine Watt as Peaseblossom, Abigail Funk as Cobweb, and Sydney Thomas as Mustardseed are the perfect complement to Elana Michelle’s Titania and these three play their characters to the hilt. They, too, work well with and off of each other to create a tight circle that moves the dialogue and story along nicely. All three actresses are well rehearsed and well suited for their roles.

The story revolves around two couples, mainly, and Nina Marti and Rafael Sebastian portray Hermia and Lysander, the two forbidden lovers. Marti is a firecracker and as the script states, “…she’s fierce, even though she’s little.” and that’s exactly what she is. Marti has a tight grasp on the text and performs it effortlessly while Sebastian, too, portrays Lysander with just the right amount of innocence and a young man’s lust making for commendable performances from both.

The Fairies Dance. Credit: Shealyn Jae Photography

The other unfortunate couple, Demetrius and Helena, are portrayed brilliantly by Nick Fruit and Kate Forton. Though their characters start out as anything but a couple, through a little bit of magic and luck, they end up happily joined. Fruit plays the uppity Demetrius well with confidence and grand gestures but also understands and does well with the slapstick that is required of the character. Likewise, Forton is stellar in this role. She completely embodies this character and it’s easy to see the love and passion she has for this character and the piece as a whole. She has a strong stage presence and gives a natural, seemingly unscripted performance that makes her a highlight in this production. Fruit and Forton work well off of each other and their timing is flawless making for a delightful and strong performance, overall.

Imani Turner as Puck. Credit: Shealyn Jae Photography

Young Imani Turner, still in high school, tackles the role of Puck, the little trouble making imp who doubles, at times, as narrator of this story. This young actor is a true talent and his instincts and natural ability are apparent as he portrays this comedic character with just enough mischief for him to irritate but with a mix of a bigheartedness, one cannot help but like this character. His delivery and comedic timing is on point and I’m looking forward to seeing more of his work in the future.

The Athens acting troupe, also known as The Rude Mechanicals consist of Colin Connor as Peter Quince, Brenden Edward Kennedy as Francis Flute, Tim Neil as Snug, Owen Halstad as Robin Starveling and the casting of these gents is superb. All of them comedians and the performance of their featured part, the play within a play called Pyramus and Thisby will have you rolling in the isles. It can be seen as the play that goes wrong, and it was one of the most enjoyable moments of theatre I’ve encountered this season. Connor, Kennedy, Neil, and Halstad show off their comedic timing and slapstick abilities impeccably and have the audience roaring with laughter. This crew is certainly a highlight of the production.

Iman Turner as Puck and Michael Toperzer as Oberon. Credit: Shealyn Jae Photography

Another member of this troupe is standout Jose Guzman as Nick Bottom. Seemingly a vain and obtuse character, Guzman plays Nick Bottom to perfection. Guzman has a complete grasp of the text and plays it over the top, but not so over the top as to be annoying… just the right amount. Guzman is a force to be reckoned with onstage with a strong stage presence and a natural comedic ability. You can’t miss him in any scene he is in whether he is speaking or pantomiming in the back and his delivery is spot on. He’s certainly one to watch in this particular production and I can’t wait to see future performances from this actor.

Final thought…A Midsummer Night’s Dream is not a show you want to miss this season. The production is top-notch in every aspect and the setting couldn’t be more picturesque. From the scenery to the staging to the performances, this production of a Shakespeare favorite will not disappoint and makes for an absolutely delightful evening of theatre. The thought and care that went into this performance is apparent and the actors, who are giving 100% of their effort and passion, make this a successful retelling of this classic comedy that will have you doubled over, laughing, and engaged every step of the way. Get your tickets now!

This is what I thought of Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream… What did you think? Please feel free to leave a comment!

A Midsummer Night’s Dream will play through July 29 at The Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park, 3655 Church Rd, Ellicott City, MD 21043. For tickets, call 410-244-8570 or purchase them online.

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