Ring of Fire, A Tribute to Johnny Cash

This unique tribute show celebrates the soul-stirring music of Johnny Cash performed by an ensemble cast of musicians and singers. Take a step back through time as Cash’s iconic songbook about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, and home and family come to life. More than two dozen classic hits—including “I Walk The Line,” “A Boy Named Sue,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and the title tune—paint a musical portrait of ‘The Man in Black’ that promises to be a foot-stompin’, crowd-pleasin’ salute to an American legend! Family friendly and an experience that should not be missed! Ring of Fire was CREATED BY RICHARD MALTBY, JR. and CONCEIVED BY WILLIAM MEADE and is being produced by the PAC through a license agreement with Theatrical Rights Worldwide. The show is generously sponsored by Katy Cain/Avenue Real Estate and Sargento. Six shows will be presented at the Plymouth Arts Center.

The ensemble cast includes musicians and singers: Tom Clegg, Kari Fabian, Kerrylynn Kraemer(director,) Jamie Biermann, Brian Karthauser, Karen Karthauser, Steve Karthauser, Dale Brienen, Mike Eberhardy, Janice Westphal, Mckinley Pye, Mike Slupski, Steve Vogt, and others are joining in. The show provides the singers and musicians an opportunity to be very spontaneous on stage, allowing the lyrics of each song to tell Johnny’s life story along with limited dialogue. Johnny Cash was an original; he definitely influenced our American culture through his county, rock n’ roll, and gospel music. PAC Theatre Company is delighted to be bringing this show to life in Plymouth, WI.

Creator Maltby said: “to me, Johnny Cash’s biography wasn’t the most important story available to tell. Taking all the songs together, adding in the life he led, the person he was, the people he knew, loved, and sang about, it seemed to me that there is another story here. It’s an almost mythic American tale – of growing up in simple, dirt-poor surroundings in the heartland of America, leaving home, traveling on wings of music, finding love, misadventure, success, faith, redemption, and the love of a good woman – and eventually returning home. It’s about the journey of a man in search of his own soul, which is what in fact emerges when you consider all the details of Cash’s life together. That seemed to be a worthy story to put on a stage – and the best part is we could tell it entirely in the songs.