Ashley Picciallo learned a lot from her mother, including the music of Patsy Cline. Now, for the last show of the 2011 summer season at the Wagon Wheel Theatre, Picciallo is starring in the role of Cline in “Always ... Patsy Cline”. “I knew a lot of her stuff,” said Picciallo of Cline. “‘Crazy’ was one of my mom’s favorite songs and growing up, it became one of mine.” While she didn’t know the show “Always ... Patsy Cline”, Picciallo said knew a lot of Cline’s music. For the past 1-1/2 months, she’s been listening to Cline’s music non-stop to get into the role, and driving some of her family crazy. For her role in the WWT musical, Picciallo has to sing 25 of Cline’s songs. “I love her. She has an amazing voice,” Picciallo said. “I have a very low voice,” Picciallo said. “I find her music incredibly easy to sing actually. Her music is incredibly suited to my voice. Honestly, I think that’s why (Wagon Wheel Artistic Director) Scott (Michaels) chose me.” “I listen to her and try to develop a sense of who she was,” Picciallo said. She said she doesn’t try to imitate her as that is never the way for an actor to go. Instead, she watches old footage of Cline on YouTube and tries to absorb as much of Cline as she can. Picciallo also has avoided watching any of the movies about Cline, including the movie “Sweet Dreams” starring Jessica Lange as Cline. Lange developed her own idea of who Cline was, Picciallo said, and she wants to do her own take on the country legend. Cline sings the bottom notes, and that’s where Picciallo says her voice is at. Picciallo, from Mahwah, N.J., went to Mount Clair State University, 20 minutes from New York City. She earned her bachelor’s of fine arts degree in musical theater there, but she started performing way before college. Her mother was a singer, and Picciallo gave her first live performance at 3 or 4 years old. At age 8, she performed in her first musical, “Oliver”. She did “America’s Most Talented Kid” on NBC at 14 years old. She performed in plays and musicals in high school and college. Last summer, she was in “Hair” and “The Full Monty”. It was in “Miracle on 34th Street” at the Armory Theatre last year where she met Michaels. Picciallo never saw or performed in a theater-in-the-round before coming to the Wagon Wheel for this show. “I love it,” Picciallo said. The rehearsal process has been really interesting because Picciallo has to be mindful of the audience all around her. The staff at the Wagon Wheel also has been really lovely, she said. Picciallo also met Jennifer Dow at the Armory as Dow was doing the wigs at the theater. Dow is Picciallo’s co-star in the two-woman “Always ... Patsy Cline”. Since most of the other actors from this season have gone, Dow and Picciallo have gotten to know each other really well, Picciallo said. That works out as Dow plays Louise Seger, and Seger’s friendship with Cline was short, lasting just two years before Cline died in an airplane crash. “This show is fun,” said Picciallo. It really is fun, and Jen is so good. Even if you’re not a fan (of Cline’s), the show is about things everyone can relate to. ... And her music is so easy to relate to, so I feel like it’s a good time for everyone.” After the two-week run of “Always ... Patsy Cline”, Picciallo said she will head back to New York. She has some prospects in the work, but nothing certain currently. She also plans to start her music and writing back up.For more information on Picciallo, she has her own website at www.ashleypicciallo.com Adult tickets for “Always, ... Patsy Cline” are $30 for all shows; tickets for students 13 through college are $16, and children 12 and under are $12. Special rates are available for groups of 15 or more. To order tickets or for more information, call the box office at 574-267-8041 or visit the Wagon Wheel website at wagonwheeltheatre.com
