The O-town Scene

April 14, 2011

The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY

Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/29255

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 10 of 29

‘Patsy Cline’ gets crowd dancing in aisles Vaudeville saw its decline during the 1920s, but the One- onta Theatre managed to hold on. Although we almost lost it, the local treasure has survived a damp and musky past and blossomed into a thriving local arts mecca that hosts every- thing from independent films to major concerts by well-known music artists. Among all its recent success, there is one aspect of the Oneonta Theatre that I am in love with; its reincarnation of live theater. Last week, I had the opportunity to review a performance of “Always … Patsy Cline,” a musical by Ted Swindley, produced by the Oneonta Theatre Stage Players. This was the first theatrical performance I had seen there, and though I had my reservations walking in, I walked out excited by the promise of the budding Stage Players. Patrick Lippincott, managing director (among many other jobs), brought the old theater to life with a realistic set and meticulous detail. From the Schlitz signs to the wood grain, I was delighted to see such detail and craftsmanship put into the big and the small of the set. SEE THE SHOW The Oneonta Theatre Stage Players will offer second weekend perfor- mances of “Always … Patsy Cline” on Thursday, April 14, and Friday, April 15, at 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.Oneonta Theatre.com. With assistance from Lippincott, artistic director Steve Dillon helped bring the Houston atmosphere to Oneonta. The perfor- mance came not just from the actresses playing the lead roles, but also the band led by Darcy Gib- son, which was brought into the action during several occasions. Kudos to the band for mastering the Patsy Cline classics. Patsy Cline is considered one of the most influential female vocalists of the 20th century. She enjoyed a quick climb to fame, riding the line between country and pop music, hitting the peak of her career in 1963. Unfortunately, the world never had the op- portunity to see Patsy perform past the age of 30, as she died Photo by Ian Austin Janeen Bagley (Louise Seger) and Cassie Buckley (Patsy Cline) star in Oneonta Stage Players’ production of ‘Always ... Patsy Cline,’ which will have performances Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m at the Oneonta Theatre, 47 Chestnut St. in a tragic private plane crash in March of that same year. Fortunately for Oneonta and surrounding communities, Patsy Cline was brought to the Oneonta Theatre to four nights of sold-out crowds. The story of “Always … Patsy Cline” is simple; Louis Seger, performed by Janeen Bagley, is a Houston housewife and avid fan of Patsy Cline, performed by Cassie Buckley, who befriends her during a performance in Houston. After staying the night with Louise, Patsy exchanges contact information, and the two stay in touch by mail and phone until Patsy’s death. The letters they exchange form the foundation of the musical. Buckley and Bagley formed a perfect pair, holding the audience’s attention from the first opening number at the Grand Ole Opry straight through the closing encore musical performance. Buckley was entrancing and charming, with the same kind of contralto voice that Patsy was celebrated for. Buckley hit all the songs right on the nose and adopted a very convincing Southern accent that contributed to her charm. Bagley took the audience by storm, commanding the stage with her wit and personality. Like Buckley, she adopted a convincing accent, which aided her light yet grounded perfor- mance. She was funny, insightful and she caught the audience at every turn to play off their responses; rarely do performers in the community achieve a similar level of comfort with the audience. When I spoke to Lippincott after the show he said: “On the last day of auditions, she came in out of nowhere and blew us away. We knew she was perfect for the part.” The Oneonta Theatre has made a comeback, and the Stage Players are just one invaluable asset in a chest full of gems. From the cowboys who greeted me at the entrance to the interactive and charming performance, I was hooked. I look forward to the Stage Players’ next performance, and I will tell everyone about what a great time I had. Cheers to the Oneonta Theatre for helping keep theater alive with one of Oneonta’s greatest assets _ its history. _ Kyle Beckley From the cowboys who greeted me at the entrance to the interactive and charming performance, I was hooked. April 14, 2011 O-Town Scene 11

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of The O-town Scene - April 14, 2011