Summer Dinner Theatre to perform two works

NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University Summer Dinner Theatre will present “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” and “Always….Patsy Cline” this summer.

“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” will be performed June 10-13 and 17-20 while “Always….Patsy Cline” is set for July 30 – Aug. 1 and Aug. 5 – 8.

Both plays will be presented in the A.A. Fredericks Auditorium. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with dinner starting at 6 p.m. and the show getting underway at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 for dinner and the show. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (318) 357-4218 or (318) 357-4483.

“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” is the second-longest running Off Broadway musical. The musical was nominated for the Outer Critics Circle Award as Outstanding Off-Broadway musical in 1997. The play explores everything you ever secretly thought about love, sex and marriage but were afraid to admit. Six actors play almost 60 roles in a collection of vignettes and songs that journey from first date through marriage and dating again late in life. Pia Wyatt is the director and choreographer and Dr. Corey Trahan is musical director.

“The play will have a number of situations that people can identify with,” said Wyatt. “Even though it is a light-hearted musical comedy, it will be quite challenging for the actors. They will play a number of different roles and will stretch their acting ability.”

“Always….Patsy Cline” is more than a tribute to the legendary country singer who died tragically at age 30 in a plane crash in 1963. The show is based on a true story about Cline’s friendship with a fan from Houston named Louise Seger, who befriended the star in a Texas honky-tonk in 1961, and continued a correspondence with Cline until her death. The musical play, complete with humor, true emotion and even some audience participation, includes many of Cline’s unforgettable hits such as “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “Sweet Dreams” and “Walking After Midnight.” The play includes 27 Cline songs. The show’s title was inspired by Cline’s letters to Seger, which were consistently signed “Love ALWAYS… Patsy Cline.”

“The play is like a musical biography, telling Patsy Cline’s story through song,” said Scott Burrell, who will direct the play. “The music she created remains popular for good reason and the backstory of Cline’s friendship with a fan makes her more accessible and interesting.”