Asbury Park Theater Co Presents Emmy-Winner Sally Struthers & Broadway’s Carter Calvert in “Always… Patsy Cline”

Musical “Always… Patsy Cline” to close out APTCo’s dynamic season at Jersey Shore Arts Center in Ocean Grove, New Jersey

ASBURY PARK, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES, November 20, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — Asbury Park Theater Company (ATCo) is thrilled to announce Ted Swindley’s “Always… Patsy Cline” starring Emmy Award-winning actress Sally Struthers and Broadway’s Carter Calvert will open for nine performances beginning December 1, 2023, at The Palaia Theater inside Jersey Shore Arts Center in the neighboring town of Ocean Grove.

“We are so honored to welcome Sally as Louise Seger, the Texas housewife who befriended Patsy Cline at a local honkytonk early in Cline’s career. We have been itching to get her back to the main stage since she was kind enough to host APTCo’s kickoff fundraiser, A Little Musical Night back in the Summer of 2019,” said William Whitefield, Producing Artistic Director of APTCo. “And no one does Patsy better than Carter. They are both perfect for these roles.”

“It’s great to be presenting this show in the beautiful Palaia Theater at JSAC, a perfect setting for this intimate production,” says Bob Angelini, APTCo’s Managing Director. “By hosting us, Jersey Shore Arts Center is helping us to achieve our goal of bringing professional-level theater to Asbury Park and the surrounding area. They have parking, they’re located alongside downtown Asbury Park, and it’s only a short walk to the shops and restaurants of Ocean Grove.”

More than a tribute to the legendary country singer, “Always… Patsy Cline” balances down home country humor, heartache, and the hit music that made Patsy Cline a household name. The show is based on a true story about the relationship between Patsy Cline and Houston housewife Louise Seger. The production features a live band on stage backing Calvert as she expertly sings dozens of Cline’s hits, including “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “Anytime” and “Walking After Midnight.”

Struthers established herself as part of television history on the famed sitcom “All in the Family”, winning Emmy Awards in 1972 and 1979 as Gloria, Archie, and Edith Bunker’s only child. More recently, Struthers became a favorite of another generation starring as Babette Dell in “Gilmore Girls.” Struthers has played the role of Louise Seger on stage more than 900 times and says about the show, “Patsy Cline’s hit songs are brilliant, and nearly everybody remembers them. It’s hugely entertaining for everybody.”

Struthers told the Los Angeles Daily News, “People don’t know who Louise Seger was, so I can take the artistic license and play Louise the way I wish to play her. It is a wonderful chance for me to create a character that still says the lines that were written, but do them the way I believe Louise must have felt in her heart about Patsy because she was just an over-the-top fan.”

Calvert’s credits include a Tony Award nomination on Broadway for “It Ain’t Nothing But The Blues”, a European tour of Smokey Joe’s Café, and the lead role of Grizabella in the national tour of “Cats.” She has a critically acclaimed jazz album with the Roger Cohen Trio.

“I have been a fan of Patsy Cline since I was 7 years old,” she told the Portland Press Herald. “My father was a big fan. We had a Ford Fairmont, and it had an 8-track player. He was always playing Charlie Pride or Loretta Lynn, but one day he brought home an 8-track tape of Patsy Cline’s greatest hits.”

The Asbury Park Theater Company’s production of “Always… Patsy Cline” is directed by Jayme McDaniel, musically directed by Michael Gilch, features set design by Neil Prince, and lighting design by Lyle Greene. The show is produced by Bob Angelini, William Whitefield, and Serena Soffer. The show is sponsored by PNC Private Bank, Holman Frenia Allison CPAs, Jules L. Plangere Jr. Family Foundation, and Marilyn & Ken Rocky.

“Always… Patsy Cline” opens Friday, December 1st and performances continue through Sunday, December 10th, 2023 with evening and matinee performances available. Limited quantities of premium tickets with reserved seating and general admission tickets with unreserved seating are on sale now.

The Palaia Theater is located inside the Jersey Shore Arts Center, 66. S. Main Street, Ocean Grove, NJ. Tickets for Always… Patsy Cline is $46 for general seating and $49 for reserved seating. Tickets for APTCo’s Greatest Hits are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Doors will open 30 minutes prior to the start of each show.

To learn more about Asbury Park Theater Company, and to purchase tickets for “Always… Patsy Cline”, visit www.asburyparktheatercompany.org.

Adam Nelson
WORKHOUSE
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