'Always Patsy Cline' to take over Great Lakes Center for the Arts next weekend
Aug 6, 2021
'Always Patsy Cline' to take over Great Lakes Center for the Arts next weekend
Sean Miller The Petoskey News-Review
BAY HARBOR — A summer musical revolving around the world of Patsy Cline is set to take over the Great Lakes Center for the Arts stage next week.
The show — titled "Always Patsy Cline" — continues the center's annual tradition of producing a summer musical while welcoming some of the nation's finest musical theater talents to Northern Michigan.
"We have some real excellent theater professionals from all around the country coming together to put this on," said show producer Matthew Kacergis.
"We've even designed a set just for the center and are really looking forward to producing this show for Northern Michigan," he said.
The show is based on the true story of a friendship between country singer Cline and one of her fans Louise Seger and explores the relationship through a number of Cline's own songs including "Sweet Dreams" and "I Fall to Pieces."
Several members of the cast and creative team are reprising their roles from Taproot Theatre Company’s run of the show in 2019.
Returning to the role of Patsy Cline is Cayman Ilika, who has performed on stages throughout the country including the 5th Avenue Theatre and Village Theatre in Seattle, Musical Theatre West in Los Angeles, and The Asolo Repertory Theatre in Saraosota.
The production also has a cast of members on its creative team and has direction from the Bay Harbor venue's leadership team, including executive director Jill O'Neill and artistic director Michael Kaiser.
The show is also produced by Kacergis, the center's associate artistic director and the Bay View Music Festival's artistic director Chris Ludwa.
"The really cool thing about this show, and live theater, is that it's more than singing songs on a stage," said Kacergis.
"It's a live interaction between the actors and the audience and we look forward to putting on a great show and giving people an opportunity to see a show again," he said.
The production of "Always Patsy Cline" opens at the center on Friday, Aug. 13 with additional performances on both Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 14 and 15.
For more information about the upcoming show, or to purchase tickets, visit www.greatlakescfa.org. The center's box office can also be reached by phone at (231) 439-2610, or email at tickets@greatlakescfa.org.
