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This story reprinted from
The Fargo Forum
October 28, 2001
Acclaimed
musical comes to Fargo Theatre
By Sarah Henning
As a blond housewife from Sioux Falls, S.D., Kaija Bonde didn’t have much in
common with Patsy Cline.
The most striking difference was that Bonde “strongly disliked” country
music. Fringe and cowboy boots didn’t figure in to the aspiring actress’
career plan, which consisted of community theater and cabaret shows emulating
early Barbara Streisand.
But after four years on the road with the “Always … Patsy Cline” show,
Bonde doesn’t just portray Patsy.
She lives Patsy.
“Now that I’ve sung her for years, she’s become me, and I’ve become
her,” she says.
“My first love will always be musical theater, and now my second love, funnily
enough, is country music.”
But Bonde argues even those who aren’t necessarily country music lovers will
enjoy “Always … Patsy Cline,” which is playing at the Fargo Theatre
Saturday.
Ticket sales back up that argument. “Always” just wrapped up four shows in
three days in Des Moines, Iowa – they all sold out. Fargo Theatre executive
director Margie Bailly says she’s bringing Patsy back because of
“tremendous” crowd response last year.
Critics are raving, as well. According to the Sioux City (Iowa) Journal, “The
woman’s voice is incredible – so Patsy-like, you’ll swear she’s
channeling Cline.”
Honky tonk angel
Bonde’s happiness reaches cliché levels, as if Cinderella had somehow melded
with Career Barbie.
Born the youngest of eight children with ‘K’ names, Bonde continuously sang
and acted while growing up in Sioux Falls. After graduating with a theater
degree from the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, she was drawn back to
her hometown.
“I realized out of the chute there wasn’t much to do in South Dakota, so I
did odd jobs and tried to act and sing where I could,” she says. “It was
important to me to help bring culture to the area.”
During a community theater production of “Kiss Me Kate,” Bonde found a
backstage romance with Brian Bonde.
Six years later, they married in the Orpheum Theater, where they had met.
Three children later, Brian and Kaija opened The Comfort Theatre Company in
Sioux Falls. Their goal became bringing high-quality theater to areas starved
for it.
“Always” was their first, and so far their only, large show. After four
years, Bonde says the requests for “Always” continue rolling in, from
farther corners of the Midwest each year.
“I know it sounds silly, but this is just a dream come true,” she says.
“I’m acting professionally, we own our own theater company: We’re
basically doing things we never thought we could do in South Dakota.”
Art imitates life
“Always” is rooted in truth. The story focuses on housewife and fan Louise
Seger, played by Bonde’s decade-long pal Jill Pillar.
Seger followed Cline’s career after seeing her on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent
Scouts in 1957, and eventually met the woman behind the music. Seger (who is
still alive, by the way) and Cline became good friends and pen pals in the two
years prior to Cline’s death in a 1963 plane crash.
“The thing audiences find so intriguing about the show is that we all have
that one person we would like to meet someday,” Bonde says. “Seger did
it.”
Bonde performs 25 Cline songs in the show, including “Crazy,” “She’s Got
You,” and “I Fall to Pieces.”
She’s accompanied by The Poker Alice Band, a six-piece country swing band,
complete with steel guitar.
Bonde says playing Patsy is intimidating.
“When people wanna hear Pasty, they wanna hear Patsy,” Bonde says.
“She’s got this holy place in music history.”
Bonde says she’s constantly listening to Cline, picking up the nuances of each
recording. For instance, Cline imitates the little hiccups at the end of
“Fated Love.” Legend has it that’s Cline crying because of a fight with
her husband the night before the recording session.
Bonde says people always tell her they close their eyes during the show and hear
Patsy.
“It’s flattering, but I think it’s more the songs that take them back,”
Cline says. “Lots of people even want me to sign her CDs with my name. I say
“Only on the inside, and only in my name.”
“I’m going to have to face Patsy in heaven some day, you know.”
Readers can reach Forum reporter Sarah Henning at (701) 241-5538
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