Country Ballet

International vocalist Dia, backed by a barbershop quartet and a choir, weaves 32 of Patsy Cline's most beautiful ballads into a tender tale of romance. The characters in the story are portrayed by award-winning ballet and flamenco dancers. A rare opportunity to hear a mesmerizing voice remarkably resembling that of Patsy's, in a spectacle of music, theatre and ballet hosted by "Ed Sullivan".

May 12 2004--Without the storyline, theatre and dance, this piece would be an impressive concert in which Dia would mesmerize her fans with a voice remarkably resembling that of the legendary Patsy Cline. With the very talented cast of 29.

However, with brilliant production, this presentation has become an elaborate musical revue continuously evolving and entertaining. The concept lies in the telling of a romantic tale through 32 of Patsy's songs and ballads spun into a charming thread of a libretto that ties together the entire work.

Storyline: The love between a young man and a young woman, suppressed by the woman's cautious guardians, results in the young man seeking a retreat to Mexico, and the dissapointed young lady getting tangled up in a loveless relationship. The couple gets back together after coming to the realization that they belong to each other.

This love story is artistically detailed by the dancers who take on the roles of the major characters. Romance abounds here, along with a deeper portrait of the important role intimate relationships play in our lives, stemming from the unforgettable songs of Patsy Cline.

Musicals based on books aren't exactly rare. In this case, instead of a book, the story is formed from the lyrics of songs and ballads which a recording star made so popular during her short career (Patsy died in a plane crash at the age of 32 shortly after finishing a show).

The sound of the show is a brand of pop and country touchingly familiar to the 50's and 60's generations. The songs are short stories - snapshots of moments in time, unrelated to each other. They benefit from the show's treatment which, by giving them a common denominator, sets them on a wholly new premise of continuity and togetherness. This new dimension enables its story to be built up into a powerful choir-backed ending symbolizing the scope and magnitude of how loving relationships affect our lives.

In this combination, the audience gets a masterfully-presented Cline voice as expected, in an excitingly new, and unexpected visual format. Under the subtle artistic direction and choreography of Tina Cattermole, the Patsy's traditionally-elegant music is skillfully combined, non-traditionally, with drama and dancing.

The show is cast with talented ballet dancers, such as Kristin Webb and Kevin Kreisz who represent the 'young and restless' generation, along with dancers Jennifer Thrasher and Jason Jang who add spice with performances of fiery flamenco and sultry seduction respectively. A barbershop quartet - representing Patsy's Jordanaires - and a choir assist Dia in relating this charming tale.