Review: RING OF FIRE at Broadway Palm

I must admit I wasn't expecting to like Ring of Fire, Broadway Palm's current production. I've never been much of a Johnny Cash fan, but I thought at least my husband would enjoy the show. I was pleasantly surprised.

The cast of 13 gave a musical tour de force. The voices were almost uniformly pure and powerful. In particular, the close harmonies of the trio of female singers were breathtaking.

The ensemble not only sang, they played a dizzying array of instruments: drums and piano, guitars, banjo, ukuleles or mandolins, bass, violin, what looked like a dulcimer, trumpets, tambourine, an accordion, a washboard, spoons, and even tin cups banged against the set. Oh, and let's not forget harmonica.

The set design by Susan Holgersson was dominated by a large, tilted, rotating platform, perhaps a metaphor for the spiritual circle that will forever remain unbroken. Behind it was a towering rough-hewn stone arch that sometimes doubled as a proscenium.

The show itself takes the audience through four stages of Cash's life called Boyhood Years, Opry and Fame, Dark Years, and Redemption and Celebration. I wish there had been a bit more narration or even program notes for those of us unfamiliar with Cash's history. For example, we see his historic meeting with June Carter and a glimpse of their Opry careers, but the rest of their love story isn't clear.

A standout moment for me was a rendition of "Orange Blossom Special" that increased tempo with each repeat. I also got a laugh when a Minnie Pearl clone appeared, price tag dangling from her hat, to sing "Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart."

I guess that final section of Cash's life story about sums it up. He overcame the hardships of the Great Depression and his own addiction and triumphed through faith.

Ring of Fire runs through June 23 at Broadway Pam, 1380 Colonial Boulevard, Fort Myers. For tickets, call 239.278.4422.

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