'Producers' is back while 'Patsy' delights

First, an opening: "The Producers" is back. Good Company Players is reviving its popular 2008 production with a run that continues through March 14. It's once again directed by Fred Bologna. (Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater, 1226 N. Wishon Ave., gcplayers.com, (559) 266-9494).

A key selling point to this revival is the return of nearly every principal actor from the earlier production, including Darren Tharp as Max Bialystock, Peter Allwine as Leo Bloom, Steve Souza as Roger DeBris, John Masier as Franz Liebkind and Scott Hancock as Carmen Ghia. A new addition to the cast is Kristen Henson, who plays Ulla.

Many of the supporting characters and chorus members are back as well.

The Mel Brooks musical is about a couple of con-artist producers who try to mount the worst Broadway show ever.

If you're in the mood for something silly, I talked with Masier -- in character as the pigeon-loving playwright Franz -- in Thursday's Life section about his fine-feathered friends. You can find a link to the interview at fresnobeehive.com.

And now, a review of a worthwhile show continuing for two more weekends. (Playhouse Merced, 452 W. Main St., Merced. Details: playhousemerced.com, (209) 725-8587). For an extended version of the review, go to fresnobeehive.com.

I'm "Crazy" for Dianne Kocher, who plays one-half of a talented duo in the charming "Always ... Patsy Kline." Kocher's character, a plucky narrator named Louise Seger, tells the story in Ted Swindley's play of how her life changed when she met the singer for a brief time several years before Cline's untimely death in an airplane crash. Thanks to Kocher's good-ol'-gal handle on the role, the show becomes a folksy, compelling tale that's much more than just a standard celebrity musical revue.

Nancy O'Bryan, who plays the famed singer, doesn't disappoint in the vocals department, either. I especially like her low, scooped-out tones and the rich, earthy timbre to her voice, all of which seem to convey a sense of maturity -- and sometimes sadness -- far beyond her years.

A terrific six-piece band, conducted by Joel Scott Shade -- all hail live music! -- adds a lot to the experience.

O'Bryan sings many of the famed Cline tunes concert-style, with Kocher's character -- a single mom who first becomes obsessed after hearing the singer on the radio -- listening in her cozy kitchen (Corey Strauss' set is simple and well-executed) or at a local nightclub.

The two strongest points of the show, Kocher's acting and O'Bryan's singing, are impacted somewhat by O'Bryan's acting range. I'm no Cline scholar, and I'm not sure if O'Bryan's reticence -- stiffness, even -- are conscious directorial/acting choices, but I found the effect a little off-putting.

Chad Phillips' lighting design, from the smoky twinkle of a honky-tonk to the coziness of a late-night kitchen, is superb. If you're a big fan of Cline's music, this is a show you don't want to miss.

Correction: It was incorrectly reported that Kim Henderson is again playing Ulla in the Good Company Player's revival of "The Producers." Kristen Henson is performing the role in the new production.