The Patsy Cline Theater
photo sent by Christian Schweiger
Excitement continues to grow in Winchester, Virginia, as it gets closer to the official dedication of the Patsy Cline Theater and Willie Nelson and Family Concert on October 29, 2009.
I spoke with Christian Schweiger, one of the promoters of the event, in Winchester, where he is working hard on final touches for the dedication and concert. The whole town wants to make sure that Willie, his band and crew feel welcome. “We want to make sure everything is right for the band,’ said Christian. ”We want the sound to be good, I want to make sure Budrock’s happy with the lighting.’
I asked Christian about how the naming the theater after Patsy Cline evolved.
”We have a big love for Patsy Cline in Winchester, of course,” he said. “The local high school was built in 1923, and was named after John Handley, a judge from Pennsylvania who fell in love with the town, and gave money to the town. And they used his money to do a $70 million renovation at the school.
As they completed different projects, they started naming things, like the athletic fields were named after someone. Then, when they started on the theater, Patsy’s Cline’s name came up, because she had attended the school, and had performed on the theater’s stage, at different talent shows. Patsy lived right around the corner from the school, and worked at a drug store nearby.”
And how did Willie Nelson become a part of the dedication of the theater?
“Winchester has a big appreciation of Willie Nelson. This is not Willie Nelson’s first concert in Winchester — he performed here in 1966, during our annual Apple Blossom Festival. People in Winchester love Willie Nelson, and they know the nexus between Willie and Patsy, with the song, ‘Crazy’. For years, for 20 years, people have been talking about trying to get Willie Nelson back to Winchester. “
“Then, as the dedication was being planned with this beautiful theater, we thought this was the right time to reach out to Willie and William Morris, and invite him back. We wanted to let them know that we had this proper setting, that was fitting for Willie to perform in, we were ready for him and we would like him to come back. And we are very thrilled that they agreed to it.’
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Historical Winchester
Christian explained that the dedication ceremony and the Willie Nelson and Family Concert are part of fundraising efforts for the Winchester Education Foundation, and will help raise funds for academic programs, scholarships, athletic equipment and uniforms and other projects to benefit the students.
According to Christian, the dedication ceremonies will include the presentation of the Key to the City to Willie Nelson by Winchester Mayor Elizabeth Minor.
Patsy Cline’s widower, Charlie Dick, will attend the dedication ceremony, and has prepared a short video of pictures of Patsy Cline from his private collection, set to music. Their son Randy and daughter Julie were also invited to the event, and are expected to attend. They will be introduced following the dedication ceremony.
Christian said that the entire school is involved in the dedication events. “We have an elite choral group here, called the Hill Top Singers, and they are going to open the show with some Patsy Cline tunes. The kids pitched in and bought tee-shirts to wear that say: “I opened for Willie Nelson.’ We got them back stage passes, and they are excited about that. The junior class is running the concession stands.”
It took a village to bring Willie Nelson and Family to town, with residents reaching out to Willie Nelson’s managment, contacting friends who may know Willie, and working to bring him back to Winchester. A local restaurateur will be preparing smothered chicken, and other traditional regional dishes, and a hotel in town is offering special packages for fans who attend the concert.
When I asked Christian how the ticket sales were handled, he said, ”We gave first priority to Willie Nelson’s fan club. Then we followed up with a pre-sale for local residents, and announced it on a local country music station, and took a big banner on the front of the local paper. But the tickets went fast, they went too fast. I really wanted everyone to be able to come. We tried to get Willie for another show, but he couldn’t do it.”
The theater accommodates 1,327 people; a cozy venue to see Willie Nelson and Family. ”I tell you what,” Christian said. “When you look at all the venues Willie has played, he has played some beautiful places all over the world. But this beautiful theater is a very intimate setting.”
There will be a special program book given out to people who attend which will include the history of the school with pictures. Willie Nelson’s merchandising crew, Scooter Franks and his staff, will be selling tee shirts, bandannas and other memorabilia. “The only thing I asked him not to sell was any pictures of reefer or anything. This is a high school,” Christian said.
I asked if any pictures of Willie Nelson’s 1966 concert had surfaced, but Christian said none had. “I’ve been looking and asking for them,” Christian said, “but none have shown up. I’d really like to meet the promoter who had the juice to bring Willie Nelson to Winchester back then.”
Winchester is located approximately 80 miles south west of Washington DC. It has a population of approximately 20,000, but it’s surrounding county has a much larger population. “It’s beautiful here,” said Schweiger. “We’re in the middle of our apple picking season, and the apples are turning. The school’s campus is beautiful, too. It sits on top of a hilltop and overlooks the town. It’s a showpiece.”
Over the years, the theater has hosted presidents and celebrities, Christian said. “We had Bob Hope here, Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby, Presidents Johnson and Ford. We’ve had a few luminaries on that stage, but the big prize was getting Willie Nelson to come back.”
“The football team is 6 and O. Willie Nelson’s coming to Winchester. It’s a good time for our city.”
