Singer Dolly Parton, reported to boast an impressive IQ of 145, once quipped that she never has been offended by blonde jokes.
"Because I know that I’m not dumb," she said. "I also know I’m not blonde.”
Such sassy, signature sentiment from performers with a signature sound forms the basis of an original, lighthearted script and dinner theater show "Great Women of Country Music" to be presented May 15-16 at Willow Leaves of Hope, 326 Jackson St. in Hope. Columbus resident and sometimes singer Naomi Fleetwood-Pyle wrote both purposely silly and sublime commentary to be interspersed in between songs from 14 classic artists.
And Willow Leaves favorite vocalist Lisa Barrett of Seymour will croon tunes from the likes of singers such as Parton, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Tanya Tucker, Trisha Yearwood, Tammy Wynette, The Judds, Linda Ronstadt, and plenty more. Talk about more twang for your buck. What we have here is a smorgasbord of strength, women’s style.
"The artists featured in this show are trailblazers," Barrett said, acknowledging that she grew up singing their music. "They are part of the reason that many women can do the things they are doing today.
"They fought long and hard to get to where they were (in entertainment), and it was not an easy path. And I still feel like women in country music are not even played on the radio as much as men, according to statistics I once read about that. So this is very important to focus on the talent these women had, so much of what they brought to the table, and all the songs they wrote."
She mentioned Parton’s toughness, even after a jealous Porter Wagoner sued her for $1 million. Barrett considers Parton an original in multiple ways.
"C’mon, no one can quite sound like Dolly," Barrett said. "I am just not going to sound like Dolly Parton. We’ll use that disclaimer. But with artists like Patsy Cline, I can slip into her voice at this point at the drop of a hat."
That’s because Barrett has performed a full show of Cline’s tunes at least three of four different years of multiple presentations at Willow Leaves. And the venue’s patrons have sworn that they are just, well, crazy about Barrett’s emotive vocals on the late artist’s greatest hits.
"I’m going to try to sing most of these songs as close to their original sound as I can," Barrett said. "I want people to really enjoy these, and be able to instantly recognize them. I don’t want people to think ‘That sounds like a cover song from some singer in a bar.’"
Fleetwood-Pyle came up with the idea for the show more than a year ago. She will duet with Barrett on a few of the numbers, such as the Judds’ material. And Fleetwood-Pyle expects to solo on ample amounts of humor, especially before the Judds’ songs.
"I’m warning you that I will be singing with Lisa," Fleetwood-Pyle will tell the audience. "So if you need to go to the bathroom, now would be the time. Or you can stay in your seats and it will be three minutes of your life you can never get back."
And she is hardly above breezy, vaudeville-style wisecracks for other artists such as Wynette.
"What does Tammy do to beat the heat?" Fleetwood-Pyle will ask. "Stands by her fan."
The show originator figures the broad-based, eclectic lineup has to be a massive hit with local audiences. The just-completed comedy, "Elvis Has Left the Building" sold out every adjusted-attendance show of 75 seats or its two weekends. Fleetwood-Pyle expects the same for this.
"Besides, Lisa is such a terrific singer," she said. "That girl — oh, my — she can sing anything."
In this nearly all-encompassing show, it might seem that she nearly does.
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What: The dinner theater presentation of "Great Women of Country Music" with commentary by Naomi Fleetwood-Pyle and vocals mostly by Lisa Barrett.
When: 7 p.m. May 15-16.
Where: Willow Leaves of Hope, 326 Jackson St. in Hope.
Tickets: $30, including dinner and the show.
Information and reservation: 812-546-0640.
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