The story of two country music icons is taking centre stage.
The Ballad of Johnny & June, a new musical celebrating the lives and partnership of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, will play at the Theatre Royal Brighton from Tuesday, April 14 to Saturday, April 18 as part of its six-month UK and Ireland tour.
Created with the involvement of their only son, John Carter Cash, the show promises to reveal a more personal side of the iconic couple.
John Carter Cash said: “For a long time I’ve wanted to see the right musical made, something that wasn’t just recounting the same information that everyone’s seen before.
“It’s like characters are often portrayed in a two-dimensional way, but I wanted to show the more complicated parts of my parents’ nature.
“I wanted to portray the truth and beauty of the simple people that they were and the love they shared.”
The musical, created by Des McAnuff and Robert Cary in collaboration with John Carter Cash, goes beyond the well-known hits to explore the deeper story of his parents’ lives.
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Musical which premiered at Sussex theatre nominated for Olivier Award
Musical which premiered at Sussex theatre nominated for Olivier Award
Mean Girls The Musical to hit the stage this April
Mean Girls The Musical to hit the stage this April
John Carter Cash. (Image: Supplied)
Mr Cash said: “It really is something I believe in.
“I think the song choice is neat because the hits are there, but there are also songs that really tell the full arc of my parents’ lives. I think it’s a wonderful production.”
The show features a rich selection of Johnny Cash’s best-loved songs, including I Walk the Line, A Boy Named Sue, Folsom Prison Blues, Hey Porter and Ring of Fire, written by June Carter Cash and Merle Kilgore.
The cast is led by musical theatre stars Christopher Ryan Grant as Johnny and Christina Bianco as June, bringing the couple’s story and music to life on stage.
A unique element of the production is its use of John Carter Cash as the narrative voice.
He said: “Most of the things you see are tied in with my personal memories, and the way the characters speak is straight out of my mouth.
“So in essence I did write a lot of them, it’s just editing it in the right way.