Cincinnati Playhouse to Present RING OF FIRE: THE MUSIC OF JOHNNY CASH in January

The Man in Black led a colorful life that both reflected and transcended his humble beginnings. RING OF FIRE: THE MUSIC OF JOHNNY CASH, which runs Jan. 17 through Feb. 15 in the Playhouse's Robert S. Marx Theatre, celebrates the incomparable legacy of J.R. "Johnny" Cash, one of the most popular entertainers of all time.

Created by Richard Maltby Jr. and conceived by William Meade, RING OF FIRE was adapted from the Broadway production by Richard Maltby Jr. and Jason Edwards. Edwards, who starred in RING OF FIRE on Broadway, will both direct and appear in the Playhouse production, which tells Cash's story through his songs.

More than a musical biography, RING OF FIRE looks at Cash's life thematically. From his early years picking cotton in hardscrabble fields to superstardom, the show chronicles both the lows and the highs of the man who traversed musical genres from country and rock to folk and gospel.

"The show tries, in a couple of hours, to touch on every aspect of Mr. Cash's life - not just his troubled years or his drug years - but also his youth, his faith," explains Edwards. "He was a very patriotic and spiritual guy, on top of running into some rough times. He never really lost the sense of where he came from and who he was."
RING OF FIRE encompasses more than 30 of Cash's classic songs, including the title tune, "Folsom Prison Blues," "Man in Black," "A Boy Named Sue" and "I Walk the Line," the ballad that Rolling Stone magazine this year declared number one on its list of 25 Greatest Country Songs of All Time. Even so, it's but an iconic sampling of the more than 400 songs that Cash, a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member, has to his credit. Cash was also inducted

into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Gospel Music Hall of Fame. He placed 48 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart and more than 130 hits on the Billboard country singles chart, more than anyone in history.

In addition to Edwards, the RING OF FIRE cast of actors and musicians includes Trenna Barnes, Allison Briner, Walter Hartman, Brantley Kearns, Derek Keeling, Jeff Lisenby (who also serves as musical director), John Marshall, Brent Moyer and Andrew Platt. The creative team includes assistant director/choreographer Denise Patton, set designer John Iacovelli, costume designer Lou Bird, lighting designer Kenton Yeager and sound designer Joe Payne. Jenifer Morrow is the production stage manager, and Andrea L. Shell and Becky Merold are second stage managers.

RING OF FIRE production co-sponsors are Fifth Third Bank and American Modern Insurance Group. Bahl & Gaynor, Inc., is the artist sponsor/Jason Edwards. This production honors the support of Linda and Gary Greenberg.

Ticket prices for RING OF FIRE: THE MUSIC OF JOHNNY CASH start at $30. Prices are subject to change, and patrons are encouraged to buy early for the best seats at the best prices. Teen and student tickets are $30 each. The show is appropriate for adults and teenage audiences.

New for the 2014-15 season is Sunday College Night, with tickets to all 7 p.m. Sunday performances priced at just $10 with a valid student ID. Student tickets are just $15 on the day of the show for all other performances.

Previews are at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17; 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20; and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21. The official opening night is Thursday, Jan. 22, at 8 p.m. Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sundays. There is no 7 p.m. performance on Sunday, Feb. 1, and no 2 p.m. performance on Sunday, Feb. 15.

Free post-show Meet the Artists programs that allow audiences to interact with cast members and others associated with the production will be offered at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28; 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8; and 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12.

RING OF FIRE will be audio described for those with visual impairments at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, and signed for persons with hearing impairments at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8.

The Playhouse is fully accessible. Audio enhancement receivers, large print programs and complete wheelchair access are available.

Tickets to RING OF FIRE are on sale now. For more information, call the Playhouse Box Office at 513-421-3888 (toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana at 800-582-3208) or visit www.cincyplay.com. Call 513-345-2248 for Telecommunications Device for the Deaf accessibility.

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