VALPARAISO | "Always, Patsy Cline" is 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 l961, and continued a correspondence with Cline until her death.

The Memorial Opera House has lined up two leading actresses from Northwest Indiana for this two women show. Mary Kay Steele (LaPorte) will play the legendary country singer; Pasty Cline and Michele Gustin-Craig (Chesterton) will portray her fan, Louise Seger. Peter Steele (LaPorte) plays the piano and is backed up by a one of a kind honkey tonk band quipped with pedal steel guitar and fiddle.

The musical play, complete with down home country humor, emotion and some audience participation, includes many of Patsy' hits such as Crazy, I Fall to Pieces, Sweet Dreams and Waking After Midnight…27 songs in all. The show's title was inspired by Cline's letters to Seger, which were consistently signed "Love ALWAYS... Patsy Cline."

The show combines humor, sadness and reality. It offers fans who remember Cline while she was alive a chance to look back, while giving new fans an idea of what seeing her was like and what she meant to her original fans.

Always, Patsy Cline will also be the last show that Bryan Conger of Portage, a recent Indiana University Northwest Graduate in Theatre will direct as he heads to the University of North Carolina to pursue his masters in directing.

The show runs for a limited time and tickets are on sale now. Show dates are 8 p.m. Aug. 15, 16, 22 and 23 and 2 p.m. Aug. 17 and 24. Individual tickets are $17 for adults and $14 for students and senior citizens. Group rates are available.

Tickets are available through the Memorial Opera House Box Office, by phone at (219) 548-9137, or in person. The Memorial Opera House is at 104 Indiana Ave. Box office hours are 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

--For The Times