Ted Swindley News

Fountain Hills Theater publicly announced their 2020-21 Season on March 1st at their annual gala, Broadway in the Hills. Since that time, there have been many challenges to the theatrical entertainment world. (!)

Plays by local high-school seniors, Rachel Iliev, Jack A. Mowry, and Samuel Ryan Neely have been chosen by Dirt Dogs Theatre Co. for its third annual Student Playwright Festival. Each playwright is awarded a $500 scholarship and is paired with a Houston-based playwright as a mentor to fine-tune their plays and prepare them for production. The students will be the guests of honor as the plays are performed at the MATCH a?" Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston.

STAGES St. Louis and the City of Kirkwood are thrilled to announce the naming of the Main Stage Theatre at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center (PAC). Thanks to a very generous gift from Don and Nancy Ross, the theatre will be named The Ross Family Theatre.

Due to popular demand, Firebrand Theatre is pleased to announce a third and final extension of its hit revival of ALWAYS... PATSY CLINE, now playing through Saturday, February 23 at The Den Theatre's Janet Bookspan Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago.

Due to popular demand, Firebrand Theatre has announced a second extension of its hit revival of ALWAYS... PATSY CLINE, now playing through Saturday, January 25, 2020 at The Den Theatre's Janet Bookspan Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago.

The Peterborough Players rings in the New Year - and new decade! - with an audience favorite, Always...Patsy Cline, created and originally directed by Ted Swindley, from January 16th-26th. This rousing musical, featuring classic Patsy Cline hits, has not been seen on the Players' stage since 2003. The Players has a long history with the music of the country legend, having produced a separate look at Patsy Cline's life in a different show, A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, in 2014.

A second trip to 'Always . . . Patsy Cline' was a pleasure, because Debra Wagoner has returned to the title role.

Due to popular demand, Firebrand Theatre's hit revival of ALWAYSa?? PATSY CLINE will add three additional weeks of performances, extending through Saturday, January 4, 2020 at The Den Theatre's Janet Bookspan Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago.

A friend let me know that Thursday's performance of 'Always. . .Patsy Cline' had been canceled due to the illness of its star, Debra Wagoner. Wagoner played the crossover hit maker for Virginia Rep in 2012, and for the Ohio Shakespeare Festival in 2006. I feared there would be a cancellation Friday night as well.

Firebrand Theatre's ALWAYS...PATSY CLINE is both a lovely tribute to female friendship and Patsy Cline's iconic song catalog (the musical features more than 25 of Patsy's songs). Ted Swindley's show, here directed by Brigitte Ditmars, is based on the real-life friendship between Patsy and one of her most fervent fans, Louise Seger. After a chance encounter at one of Patsy's concert engagements in 1961, Louise and Patsy struck up a friendship that lasted the rest of the singer's life. Because the musical incorporates so many of Patsy's iconic country songs, however, it manages to avoid becoming too trite in relaying its story. Instead, ALWAYS...PATSY CLINE becomes unquestionably enjoyable as it's presented more as a concert with a storyline. It's a format that works, and works well.

Firebrand Theatre has launched its 2019-20 season with a limited engage ment of ALWAYS… PATSY CLINE, featuring Artistic Director Harmony France and Christina Hall, who have both previously played the titular music legend. France and Hall will alternate in the roles of Patsy Cline and Louise Seger – so if you love the show, come see it again with the cast flipped!

Florida Repertory Theatre's season opener, 'Always...Patsy Cline' is now playing in the ArtStage Studio Theatre, and due to unprecedented demand for tickets, the run is now extended to December, 1. Playing to sold-out audiences in the ArtStage Studio Theatre, the heartfelt musical is a celebration of Patsy Cline's life and music, and features all of her most beloved songs, including 'Walkin' After Midnight,' 'I Fall to Pieces,' and the number one Jukebox hit of all time, a?oeCrazy.'

STAGES St. Louis announces its stellar 34th Season!

Firebrand Theatre is pleased to launch its 2019-20 season with a limited engagement of ALWAYSa?? PATSY CLINE, featuring Artistic Director Harmony France and Christina Hall, who have both previously played the titular music legend. France and Hall will alternate in the roles of Patsy Cline and Louise Seger a?' so if you love the show, come see it again with the cast flipped!

The Candlelight Dinner Playhouse has announced that Ted Swindley's a?oeAlwaysa?? Patsy Clinea?? will play at the Candlelight April 19-May 19, 2020.

The Peterborough Players celebrates the return of their on-stage Winter Season with three selections sure to delight audiences during this cold time of year. A boisterous comedy, a return of a country music legend, and an encounter with one of America's most revered poets come to life in A Tuna Christmas, Alwaysa??Patsy Cline, and This Verse Business December 2019 a?" February 2020.

Florida Repertory Theatre's season opener, 'Always...Patsy Cline' is now playing in the ArtStage Studio Theatre, and audiences who get decked out in their 'western wear' will receive a $5 Off coupon for their next ticket to any production in the theatre's 2019-2020 line-up. Playing through November 24, the heartfelt musical is a celebration of Patsy Cline's life and music, and features all of her most beloved songs, including 'Walkin' After Midnight,' 'I Fall to Pieces,' and the number one Jukebox hit of all time, a?oeCrazy.'

Circle Theatre's 2020 Main Stage season will entertain audiences with a season of throwbacks, belly laughs, and iconic productions. The newly announced season will launch with Circle Theatre's Season Kickoff Event, American Graffiti In Concert on April 19 at 7:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center on the campus of Aquinas College. The one night only fundraising event will include a silent auction, costume contest, dance contest, and more!

2019-20 Season marks Creative Cauldron's eleventh season of programming at ArtSpace Falls Church.  The diverse season offerings include live theater, concerts and cabarets. The season kicks off in October with the regional premiere of Disenchanted, a hilarious musical that takes a second look at the real world fates of fairytale princesses.  Madeline's Christmas returns once more to ring in the holiday season and Crowns, the inspirational gospel musical celebrating the resilient, hat-wearing sisters of the south, takes the stage in February. 

Always... Patsy Cline is now open at Bucks County Playhouse starring Sally Struthers! What did the critics think? Read all the reviews!