Ensemble Theatre Company to Present RING OF FIRE: THE MUSIC OF JOHNNY CASH

Ensemble Theatre Company (ETC) presents RING OF FIRE, The Music of Johnny Cash as its second show of the organization's 2023-24 season. RING OF FIRE – created by Richard Maltby, Jr. and conceived by William Meade, with musical direction and directed by Randy Redd – brings audiences of all ages on an incredible journey as they experience the songs of a true music legend and one of the most influential song writers of all time. A wonderfully engaging family show for the holidays, RING OF FIRE begins previews on Thursday, November 30 at 7:30pm, opens on Saturday, December 2 at 8:00pm and runs through Sunday, December 17, 2023 at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria Street in Santa Barbara. 

 

The Broadway hit musical comes to Santa Barbara! From the songbook of Johnny Cash comes this unique musical about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, and the healing power of home and family. With over 30 classic hits—including “I Walk The Line,” “A Boy Named Sue,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and the title tune—performed by a multi-talented cast, paint a musical portrait of The Man in Black that promises to be a foot-stompin', crowd-pleasin' salute to a musical legend!

 

“RING OF FIRE is an extraordinary musical tribute to an American icon, Johnny Cash, which fits perfectly in this season's theme of ‘truths,'” said Scott DeVine, ETC's executive director. “Some may be surprised to learn that Johnny lived in Casitas Springs in the early 1960s, when his iconic certified Gold album, ‘I Walk the Line,' was released. Sixty years later, our rendition of the hit Broadway show – with an original RING OF FIRE cast member, Randy Redd, directing and bringing this production to life on the New Vic stage – is sure to be an incredible treat. Randy's first-hand experience with the early development of the show, coupled with our brilliantly talented cast and team, makes this a musical theatre experience not to be missed!  

Born the son of Arkansas cotton farmers, Cash broke into the entertainment industry as a singer-songwriter in the 1950s after servicing in the United States Air Force. Most of Cash's music is considered soulful and reflective with themes described as being filled with “sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption.”  His highly recognizable baritone voice delivered his signature introduction at the start of each concert saying “Hello, I'm Johnny Cash” followed by one of his greatest hits, Folsom Prison Blues. Cash sold more than 90 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.  His musical style embraced country, rock and roll, rockabilly, blues, and folk, to name a few. Towards the end of Cash's career, he covered songs by contemporary rock artists including songs by Nine Inch Nails, Soundgarden and Depeche Mode reinforcing his adaptable musical abilities and attraction.

“Johnny Cash was hands down one of the most influential voices in country music - he gave us an encyclopedia of American song,” Redd added. “I know those are big words, but it is true. These songs have as much meaning and power today as they did when he first wrote them - maybe more! His music is timeless and universal and reveals what it means to be alive in this world. Springsteen summarized it best, ‘A combination of sin and salvation - from Saturday night to Sunday morning.' No matter who you are, where you're from, or what you believe, Cash has the power to bring us all together, to unite us. I am so proud to have been a part of the original Broadway cast, and I am excited to bring RING OF FIRE to the stage at ETC in Santa Barbara.”

 

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST

 

Randy Redd (Director/Music Direction) made his Broadway debut in Parade at Lincoln Center. Other credits include Ring of Fire, Million Dollar Quartet, Andrew Lloyd Webber's By Jeeves, Terrence McNally's Some Men, The Burnt Part Boys, Randy Newman's Faust, Pump Boys & Dinettes, Alain Boublil's Manhattan Parisienne, Allegro, May We All, and Max Vernon's The View Upstairs. His film and television credits Include Beautiful Creatures, The Last Five Years, After the Storm, Kinsey, “From Broadway with Love” (PBS), “The Tony Awards,” and more. Mr. Redd's directing credits include Once Upon A Mattress, Goodman, Footloose, 9 To 5, Sweet Potato Queens (premiere), Million Dollar Quartet, Ring of Fire, Smoke On The Mountain, Exit Music: The Pop Rock Project, Swing Wings, Little Shop Of Horrors Extraordinary Joe, One Sky(RCCL), and Dan Mills' Fiction In Photographs at New World Stages. Original works as a writer include You Be Youwith Meredith Sharkey and Seth Herzog, American Tune with Rachel Bay Jones, Awful/Good, Touché with Blair Ross at NYMF, and What's That Smell: The Music of Jacob Sterling with David Pittu at the Atlantic Theater Company and New World Stages.

 

Richard Maltby, JR. (Creator) includes among his Broadway credits: Conceived/directed Ain't Misbehavin' (Tony, NY Drama Critics, Outer Critics and Drama Desk Awards. Also, Tony Award for Best Director); Fosse (Tony, Outer Critics and Drama Desk Awards). Lyricist: Miss Saigon (Evening Standard Award, Tony Nomination for Best Score). Director and co-lyricist of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Song & Dance, (Tony Award for star Bernadette Peters). With composer David Shire: director/lyricist Baby (book by Sybille Pearson; seven Tony Award nominations); Lyricist: Big(book by John Weidman. Tony nomination: Best Score). Off-Broadway credits: director/lyricist Starting Here, Starting Now (Grammy Award nomination) & Closer Than Ever (Outer Critics Circle Awards: Best Musical, Best Score). 

 

William Meade (Conceiver) began his career as a musician. He has been a featured soloist with numerous orchestras, including the Zurich Philharmonic, Prague Philharmonic, and Jacksonville Symphony. He has produced concerts throughout the U.S. and Europe with artists ranging from Arlo Guthrie to BB Kind. Television: “The Miss America Pageant,” “The Super Bowl Half Time Show,” “Sex and The City,” “Love Monkey,” and “Sesame Street.” On Broadway, he has been involved with more than 50 musicals. He is a Grammy-nominated record producer with a wide range of theatrical releases to his credit, from Hello, Dolly! With Carol Channing to Elegies by William Finn.

  

The cast of RING OF FIRE features Glenn Stanton (Measure for Measure at the Goodman, Once on this Island at the Porchlight), Valarie Larson (Mutt House the Musical at the Kirk Douglas Theater, Something Rotten at Musical Theatre West), Sam Linkowski (The Secret Garden at the Ahmanson Theatre, Cinderella at 5-Star Theatricals), Kasper (A Transparent Musical, Recorded in Hollywood at the Kirk Douglas), and LJ Benet (For The Record's Baz: Star Crossed Love at the Palazzo Theater in Las Vegas, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”).

 

Scenic design by Amanda Rehbein. Lighting design by Greg Mitchell. Sound design by Danny Fiandaca. Costume design by Sean Tribble. Properties design by Jenna Scordino. Casting by Michael Donovan Casting, CSA. Ward LeHardy is the Dramaturg.

 

Associate Producers for RING OF FIRE are Montecito Bank and Trust. Supporting Producers are Alan & Ruth Heeger, Nichols Foundation, Deb & Ken Pontifex, and Chuck & Missy Sheldon.

  

ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

RING OF FIRE previews on Thursday, November 30 at 7:30pm & Friday, December 1 at 8:00pm; opens on Saturday, December 2 at 8:00pm and runs through Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 2:00pm at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria Street in Santa Barbara. 

 

Performances are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, and Sundays at 2:00pm and 7:00pm; with added performances on Tuesday, December 5 at 7:30om, Saturday, December 9 at 3pm, and Wednesday, December 13 at 2pm. There will be no performance on Sunday, December 10 at 7pm.                                                                                            

 

Ticket prices range from $40 - $86. All Patrons 35 and under are always $35. Student tickets are $25. Single tickets are available through the ETC box office at (805) 965-5400, or online at etcsb.org. Prices subject to change. 

ENSEMBLE THEATRE COMPANY is Santa Barbara's sole professional Equity theater company. Producing five plays per season, it has been home to several World, American and West Coast premieres and has received recognition and accolades throughout its enduring history. In its inception in 1978, ETC was the Ensemble Theatre Project and called Trinity Episcopal Church its home. As its popularity grew, ETC moved to the historic 140-seat Alhecama Theatre, a more traditional theatrical setting that hosted its productions for a quarter of a century and still provides rehearsal space today. Set on becoming a cultural-programming cornerstone in Santa Barbara, ETC undertook the $12.6 million purchase and renovation of the Victoria Hall Theater, leading to the reimagined 300-seat New Vic Theatre that serves as its resident stage and hosts other artists representing dance, music, film, and lectures. ETC's success has been built upon its tremendous stability with only four executive leaders: Joseph Hanreddy (1978-1985), Robert Grande Weiss (1985-2006), Jonathon Fox (2006-2023) and Scott DeVine (2023- ). In addition, the company benefited from the contributions made by Jill Seltzer (2016-2021), who served as managing director, a role DeVine assumed when joining in 2022.

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