Publisher: Elizabeth Hurd

“A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline” is a Closer Walk with Music

Julie Johnson as Patsy Cline

Patsy Cline was born Virginia Patterson Hensley and as a youngster little Ginny Hensley broke into the music world with a delicious and delightful honkytonk sound.  As she grew into Patsy Cline her music was distinguished by her powerfully emotional voice, and she is the first ‘country’ artist to cross over into the ‘pop’ charts.  But she didn’t just cross over, she transcended.  Her music was just that–music.  And it seared the soul, an ability universally recognized.  She died too young; she was only 30 years old when that fatal flight was storm tossed into the side of the hills outside Nashville.

CityRep has brought Julie Johnson (a Texas, Oklahoma girl) to perform as Patsy in “A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline” a role Johnson has made her own.  Johnson directs the show with 2 other cast members and the help of a group of very talented musicians to accompany Patsy.  The show is a tear-jerker because, at the end, Patsy dies.  We know it going in but in during the second act when Johnson sings those Patsy Cline songs we know and love, she also transcends ‘country’ and draws us right into her magic.  Briefly, but astoundingly, Patsy lives again.  While her death does not surprise anyone it is still a shock, but a worthy one that must be experienced by anyone who loves music. 

While there are many performers who recreate Patsy, Elvis or Johnny Cash, very few have that same knack of reaching into the listener’s soul.  Johnson is one who does.  In the cast is also a young woman, who plays the young Patsy, Bridget Davis.  Davis is also on the road to greatness.  The third cast member is Steve Barcus who plays the D.J., Little Big Man, the man who was there when Ginny Hensley first performed.  Little Big Man was there when Patsy was born, and he was on the air when Patsy died.  Barcus brings Little Big Man back to life alongside Patsy and we grieve with him at the end of this magnetic concert by Dean Regan:  “A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline” seen here in Oklahoma City.

The musicians accompanying Patsy are outstanding and they should be recognized.  Jerry Matheny on guitar has been a recording musician since the late 70’s and has toured with Lee Ann Rimes and appeared in several movies and television.  He may be remembered for his appearances on David Letterman, Jay Leno and The Grammys.  Rocky Gribble on banjo and guitar has also done television and movie work as a studio musician and performing with artists from Engelbert Humperdinck to Miranda Lambert.  Kerry Huckaba plays bass and specializes in country gospel music working out of Nashville and Dallas/Fort Worth.  D. Garrett Roper is a percussionist with superb timing on the drums and in the occasional joke!  Barcus joins the musicians on keyboard as needed, revealing his outstanding performance versatility.

Julie Johnson as Patsy Cline

While Johnson is a magnificent Patsy Cline she must also be a pretty good director to work with as she assembles the best in OKC for this show.  “A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline” also relies on Don Jordan and Mark Bell to Ben Hall as set designers who really know how to create the perfect atmosphere and beyond.  Johnson’s Musical Director is Steve Barcus, and he is just as much fun back stage as on-stage as Steve Emerson’s smile suggests. (Emerson is Production Stage Manager).  Costumes are by Drenda Lewis and Jeffrey Meek, loving that fringe or laughing at Grand Ole Opry characters thanks to their talent and skill.  Who to trust for sound?  W. Jerome Stevenson, that’s who!

“A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline” plays at the Freede Theatre at the Civic Center Music Hall at 201 N. Walker.  Information and tickets are available at www.cityrep.com or call 405-848-3761.  Also the Civic Center box office number is: 405-297-2264.  “A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline” will be performed through September 24th only.  Curtain is at 7:30 pm for evening performances and 1:30 for Sunday matinees.   There is such a lot of talent in Oklahoma City and numerous events to showcase the talent, so it is impossible to see everything, but “A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline” is not the one to skip.  It is in fact the one you must see and hear to believe!