Category: Articles

Saturday night, November 14th I attended an outstanding performance of The Honky Tonk Angels featuring Claudia Simpson-Jones, Cindy Schorno and Kathy Kluska as the sole female performers in association with Figaro Productions, LLC and Ted Swindley Productions, Inc. Swindley is the creator of 'Always-Patsy Cline.' The live band consisting of drums, sound effects, guitars, electric guitar and bass created the background music for the songs without overpowering the performers.

This musical production brings together three women with diverse backgrounds and all they want to do is sing and follow their dreams. The stage set and props are simple and unobtrusive while spotlighting the performers.

Jones shines as a housewife with six children and whose husband apparently would rather have nights out with the 'boys' than with his wife. She yearns to have her dreams fulfilled. Kathy Kluska is striking as a twice-divorced female working as a secretary and tired of her male employer's advances. To round out the threesome, we have Cindy Schorno as a young woman whose background is one of poverty and perhaps one could say comes from a hillbilly family. Each woman only wants to follow her dream. The three women meet for the first time on a bus that is taking them to Nashville.

The humor, along with the singing, brought forth laughter from the audience and a few nods keeping time with the music. Schorno, Kluska and Jones bring their characters to life by making their roles believable. Each woman has her own style of singing and, when they sing together, their voices are a harmonious blending. The audience was treated to a number of country-western favorites such as Coal Miner's Daughter, These Boots Were Made for Walkin, I'll Fly Away and Harper Valley PTA as well as many more.
The second act has the three women becoming the The Honky Tonk Angels in Nashville. Kluska, Jones and Schorno can each belt out a song with power and feeling. Together, they are awesome. This definitely was not an amateur production.

Claudia Simpson-Jones has been on stage a good portion of her life playing and singing in bands in Las Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe and the Palmer House in Chicago. In addition to her performing, she also conducts and composes music of all styles.

Fellow RSE Student, Cindy Schorno, is a native of Yelm and credits her mother, Gail with teaching her to sing at an early age. I would say her mother taught her well.

Kathy Kluska, has an extensive background with musical performances and recently was in the Opera Pacifica/SPSCC productions of The Producers, Guys and Dolls and Fiddler on the Roof to name a few. Kluska is the choreographer for this show.

Mr. Doug's menu offered three choices and I had the cordon-bleu. Chef Andrea Mason-Baldwin is to be complimented. I would say that Mr. Doug has a winner with his dinner theater. One does not have to travel away from Yelm to have live theater with what I observed and enjoyed Saturday night.

The show dates for the current offering ofThe Honky Tonk Angels continues on Saturdays, November 21, 28, December 12, 19 and January 9, 23 with dinner at 7:00 p.m.
You will not be disappointed and reservations should be made early by calling (360) 458-2255.
It is a bargain at $38 for the dinner and show. Visit Mr. Doug online: www.mrdougsdinnertheatre.com

Bettye Johnson
http://www.magdalenescrolls.com