Classy Cline

Impersonating famous women is high on the list of Kelly Carpenter’s acting skills. She has, for the past four years, played Mrs. Claus in Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular, and can occasionally be found pretending to be Patsy Cline in Ted Swindley’s jukebox musical about the late, great country star. Always…Patsy Cline, which winds up Phoenix Theatre’s current season, is loosely based on the true story of the legendary singer’s friendship with a Houston housewife; a pairing that took place back before stalkers were a concern. That housewife, Louise Seger (in this production played, and we’re guessing marvelously, by local fave Cathy Dresbach), narrates the story of Cline’s life, while Carpenter croons such Cline chestnuts as “Walking After Midnight,” “She’s Got You,” “Sweet Dreams,” and the Willie Nelson charmer “Crazy.” With the play promising to provide such an intimate peek into Cline’s private life, you’ll never hear those classic songs the same way again.

Wednesdays-Sundays; Tue., June 1. Starts: May 19. Continues through June 13, 2010