OLINKA-JONES IN-CLINED TO REPRISE ROLE

Published in the July 18, 2026 edition.

Juliana Olinka-Jones as Louise Seger is the closest we come in the Eastern Sierra to a signature role. 

This week, Olinka-Jones will play Seger for the fourth time in Mammoth Lakes Repertory’s revival of “Always Patsy Cline,” the story of a relationship, told through narration and song, of an unlikely friendship which developed between recording artist Patsy Cline and a devoted fan. 

The kind of improbable and genuine story which could never happen today. 

As Olinka-Jones says, “I love the character … she resonates with me. Every summer as a young girl, I would visit my grandfather’s house in Muskegon, Michigan, and he had this huge country/western music collection – Patsy Cline, Jim Reaves, Eddy Arnold. Patsy Cline was one of the first crossovers to go mainstream. And her performances were so good, so enduring. She remains alive.”

Leslie Redman plays Patsy in this iteration, and Olinka-Jones has high praise.

“Not to denigrate the others who’ve come before – they were all excellent. But she {Redman] is the best singer I’ve worked with. She’s a step above.” 

As Director Shira Dubrovner notes, “On the surface, Always… Patsy Cline feels like a traditional tribute to a beloved musical icon. But at its heart, it is about so much more. It’s a story about the legacy we leave behind—not just through what we accomplish, but through the way we make people feel while we are here.

Maya Angelou’s words have always resonated with me:

‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’

That sentiment is at the very core of this show. I believe ‘Always… Patsy Cline’ has something for everyone. It’s one of those rare productions that you can see more than once and enjoy just as much the second time around.

It’s been over ten years since we last produced this show, and it felt like the right time to bring it back. We all need stories that uplift and inspire, and I believe this production does exactly that.”

The show will take place under a large tent at Hayden Cabin, rain or shine. 

For more info/tix, please see the ad on page 9.