Portraying Patsy, her Way
Arts/Life
Posted By SHAWN GIILCK
Posted 1 month ago
-Leisa Way is "Crazy" about Patsy Cline.
Way is bringing her acclaimed tribute show about the legendary songstress to Collingwood's Gayety Theatre in August as part of the Theatre Collingwood playlist.
The production features Way, a four-piece band and 30 of Cline's songs wrapped around some biograhpical sketches.
Way isn't hesitant to proclaim her love of the singer and the iconic crossover music she unleashed on an unsuspecting county music scene in the late 1950s and early '60s before her untimely death at age 30.
"I had done a musical calledA Closer Walk With Patsy Clinefirst in 1997 until 2005," she said. "I hand-picked my own band, and afterward the fans were going nuts and asking why I didn't have a CD. So what are you going to do?
"The show has to go on and we got together and I said let me see if I can put together a concert of the music of Patsy Cline."
The result was Sweet Dreams: The Music of Patsy Cline,which Way has been performing for the last five years, although never in this area.
"We had a blast and the audiences loved the music and we brought to life a singer the people loved so much," said Way. "And I think the audience comes away knowing more about her than they did."
"That way my goal," she I wanted to bring to life this larger-than-life character that no one knew much about. It's wonderful because I'm just Leisa on stage telling these stories. So getting into character isn't a problem and bringing that to life is just a real joy to me."
Sweet Dreams: The Music of Patsy Clineopens Aug. 16 at the Gayety Theatre.
