Directing came first for Norton Dill ’68. He placed actors into character roles and led musicians in performances before any stage parts of his own. After graduating from Birmingham-Southern, Dill took a job as Wenonah High School’s choir director. When the position of drama director became available, he volunteered for that too.

Over 100 productions later, Dill is directing Always… Patsy Cline at the Virginia Samford Theater, which will run June 13-30. Through Cline’s rich and soulful hits, the musical illustrates the country singer’s real-life friendship with fan Louise Seger. The foundation of the songs and the band is what brought Dill to the show when he first directed it eight years ago.

“I’m drawn towards shows about particular famous artists. They live or die by the music. And I like stories about musicians and performers,” he says, being a performer himself.

Now, Dill is directing with the same stage, songs, and actresses as before. He even began with the same set blocking from their first production, but Norton and the cast (Emily Herring and Celeste Burnum as Cline and Seger) have a warm and familiar relationship with the musical this time around.

“As we moved along, we saw how to improve things and how to get the audience more involved. It’s sort of nice to get a second shot and see if we can improve something we already love,” he says. “The music has since become a part of Emily’s life when, eight years ago, she didn’t know anything. It’s almost like she’s channeling Patsy Cline now. She studies all of her little nuances.”

With a cast of two, those defining details – along with the on-stage band – carry the show. The production features a six-piece band that Dill deems as particularly exceptional and will add a new flare to the revival.

“Her music comes alive,” he says. “When we do a show like this, it’s typically extremely well attended. Most of the people in the audience are not Patsy Cline fans, but they still come and love the show.”

Music, like in any good jukebox show, is at the heart of Dill’s career, too. He started the BSC Hilltop Singers as a student band and led their shows around Birmingham and in Gatlinburg during the summers. That same performing spirit now takes form in the Dill Pickers, Dill’s vocal string band made up of trained thespians and entertainers.

The performer in Dill would eventually lead him to success in other creative arts like directing and filmmaking. But it all started with his love for music.

“That always had some theatrics in it,” he says.