For Raeanna Sires, playing Patsy Cline feels like an honor.
The local actress grew up listening to her songs, including several in the show like her favorite, 'Walking After Midnight.'
'My great-grandparents raised me listening to this era of music, and so it's just a really big deal that I get to kind of have this full circle,' she said.
For Maegan Jasbring, who is playing Louise Seger, being part of the production has been a beautiful way to learn Patsy Cline's work.
'I wasn't super familiar with a lot of Patsy Cline's repertoire before starting this show, so I'm really thankful to be able to learn about her and experience that music in a way that's actually really unique compared to how most other people would experience it,' she said.
The two, backed by a live band, will help the Pilot Point Community Arts bring 'Always... Patsy Cline' to life.
The production celebrates the friendship Cline and Seger shared and the actual correspondence they sent each other.
Director Cindy Kennedy has wanted to do the show for a while.
'I had this idea two years ago when I heard Rae singing one night at the coffee shop,' she said.
Although a number of obstacles elongated the process, Kennedy is excited to see it all come together.
'I'm excited it's finally happening,' she said. 'It's a great band. It's a great cast. It's been a long journey, but we're ready to do it.'
The six-piece band has worked to get 27 songs under their fingers so they can help Sires reproduce Cline's music on the stage at the Starbright Center for the Arts.
'It's been a great partnership,' Kennedy said. '... We're all community-partnershipminded— PPCA is and Starbright is.'
Don Hankinson, who is on bass, spoke about the complexity of the music and his joy about helping with the production.
'She had sophisticated music, and this is kind of the Broadway theater musical treatment of music that's already sophisticated,' he said. 'This is some stuff. We're having fun.'
Kennedy said she is grateful for Hankinson, band leader and lead guitarist George Macias, slide guitarist Matt Boulia, acoustic guitarist Dave Brannon, drummer Travis Hundley and pianist Mike Carroll.
'I feel really lucky to have this caliber of musicians working with us and willing to put in the time,' she said.
The show, which will run from Aug. 7-9 only, was funded by two local grants as well as sponsorships by CH Lonestar Promo and Hosanna Artworks and also by PPCA memberships.
Proceeds from the ticket sales will go back into supporting the mission of the PPCA.
For more information about the PPCA, visit pilot pointcommunityarts. org.
Tickets for the show are available at https://www.starbrightmpa. com/tickets.
