Crystal Bowersox Broadway, Patsy Cline [VIDEO]: 'Dead Weight' Singer and 'American Idol' Alum to Play Country Music Legend in Stage Tour, 'Always ... Patsy Cline'

Crystal Bowersox is set to star in the Broadway production Always... Patsy Cline this year as the country legend during her iconic career. The 27-year-old Bowersox gained success as the season 9 runner-up of "American Idol" and releasing her debut album, Farmer's Daughter, which sold over 200,000 copies. Her second album, All That For This, is out today. Jimmy Burke and Jeff Cohen of "Burke-Cohen Entertainment" are producing the show, which was written by Ted Swindley and will be directed by Tony winner John Rando.

"Crystal is the ideal performer to play Patsy Cline," said producer Jeff Cohen. "In what amounts to a life-imitates-art twist, Patsy Cline was discovered on The Arthur Godfrey Show, the number one TV talent show of its day. And Crystal was discovered on American Idol, the number one TV talent show today."

The parallel between Bowersox and Cline is sure to be a big draw for the show, though the legacy of the late singer is sure to be the main attraction for the musical.

Always... Patsy Cline is set up as a "jukebox musical" that will feature the late singer's hits including "Crazy," "Walkin' After Midnight," "I Fall to Pieces, "Sweet Dreams" and "Back in Baby's Arms." The story will follow the singer's rise to success through the eyes of her biggest fan, Louise Seger, played by Annette O'Toole. The show's focus is Cline's 1961 concert at Houston's Esquire Ballroom, where she meets O'Toole.

This Broadway production will run previews in July with hopes of an August release. Patsy Cline died 50 years ago this month in a 1963 plane crash. She was 30 years old.

Patsy Cline's hit song "Crazy" is credited as the first "popular music" (Pop) hit according to musicologists and even an MTV countdown. Here is the late, great Cline performing "Crazy" in 1962: