Johnny Cash is cool in so many ways that you can always discover a new point of entry into his complicated life and work. Just recently, I found myself choking back tears at an Atlanta Ballet production of James Kudelka’s “The Man in Black,” a dance meditation on some of the country music star’s final, soul-searching recordings.
And then there’s “Ring of Fire,” an earnest, crowd-pleasing musical revue that weaves together some 30 Cash songs while offering only occasional glimmers of the valleys he visited before shuffling off this mortal coil in 2003, at 71.
Created by Richard Maltby Jr. (“Ain’t Misbehavin’ "), conceived by William Meade and directed by Robert J. Farley at Georgia Ensemble Theatre through April 29, it’s a warm jukebox musical performed by an ensemble of actor/singer/instrumentalists attempting to capture the spirit of Cash as a collective unit.
Not a straightforward musical biography, in other words. The performers open the evening on equal footing: “Hello, my name is Johnny Cash.” There is no Cash doppelganger, though you can have a little fun if you close your eyes from time to time and pretend it’s Cash up there singing. (Performer Chris Irwin sounds most like the Nashville icon to me, and Jeremy Wood takes the prize for most charming picker and grinner.)
My problem with this Cash Lite Nite is that it misses a chance to explore the complex texture of the Cash mythology. (For the record, the 2006 Broadway run enjoyed a total of 38 previews and 57 regular performances.) And my quibble with Farley’s production is that it goes too far in the direction of a breezy, carefree, unrehearsed concert. Instead of creating an ensemble piece where everyone is a star, he’s found a cast where no one is. (Rounding out the company are Scott DePoy, Tracy Vaden Moore, Denise Hillis, Mark W. Schroeder and J.R. Hawkins.)
When people pay to see a show at a professional theater, a certain level of craft is expected, from sets and costumes to direction and choreography. Playing it mellow requires self-awareness, too. Maybe this is petty, but I’m pretty sure the performer who decided to brush lint off her black top during an idle moment probably lost grasp of the fact that she was under the bright lights of the stage.
Speaking of which, set designer Stephanie Polhemus situates an adorable country homestead to one side of the stage, where guitars are hung on the front porch columns. But when it comes to picking outfits, it looks like costume designer Abby Parker told the group to wear whatever they felt like. When DePoy sings “The Man in Black,” he's got on bluejeans.
It takes several numbers for the piece to hit its stride, but when the ensemble finally gets to “Jackson,” things start to look up. On the hobo anthem “I’ve Been Everywhere,” even drummer Hawkins gets in a pit stop or two. Still, it's just another reminder that “Ring of Fire” is more about giddy good fun than emotional edge. And in the world of Johnny Cash, no pain is most assuredly no gain.
Theater review
“Ring of Fire”
Grade: C+
7:30 p.m. Wednesdays; 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 4 p.m. Saturdays; 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Also: 7 p.m. April 22 and 7:30 p.m. April 24. Through April 29. $26-$36. Georgia Ensemble Theatre, 950 Forrest St., Roswell. 770-641-1260, get.org.
Bottom line: Musical revue captures softer side of Johnny Cash.
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