As the scenic designer for Always…Patsy Cline, I wanted to create a visual world that was authentic to this iconic artist’s life story and fresh for the world of today. The scenic world of Always Patsy Cline is a stylized space inspired by historic images of Patsy’s album covers and her own unique style that quickly became a part of this incredible woman’s identity. While designing this production for today’s audience, it was essential to create a space that could provide a timeless frame for this important American country music icon yet also provide a space that felt contemporary and modern as her voice remains today.Patsy Cline was an artist deeply connected to her audience and by using her beloved stage as the anchor of this show we are reminded of the genuine warmth that was always present in her life story. As the audience enters the Clarence Brown Theater, they will discover a lush landscape of red and white stripes, a stylized rustic proscenium framing the musicians below, and one single word hanging above the stage that reads “Always”. My hope is that the scenic design of Patsy Cline will provide a visual record of where Patsy was in her life at this moment and to frame a timeless story of an artist who remains relevant in our memory always.
Libby Stadstad (Scenic Designer) is a scenic designer for film, television, theatre, dance and immersive installations. Stadstad’s work has been presented by New York City Center, Kennedy Center, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Guggenheim Museum Works & Process, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Fox Theater Atlanta, Williamstown Theater Festival, 59E59, The New School, The Cell, Luna Stage, Clarence Brown Theater, and the Children’s Theater of Charlotte. Stadstad’s design work has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Live Design Magazine and Lighting and Sound America Magazine. Stadstad’s recent work includes assistant art direction for Netflix, CBS, The CW Network, and HBO where she currently serves as the assistant art director for The Gilded Age. Stadstad is a graduate of the University of Tennessee Knoxville MFA program.
www.libbystadstad.com