7
CURTAIN CALL
LIVE THEATER AND MUSICAL
PRODUCTIONS AROUND EASTERN OREGON
APRIL 13�20, 2022
Just three chances to see ‘Ring of Fire’
Life stories of
Johnny and June
Carter Cash told
through songs
By Trish Yerges
Go! Magazine
P
ENDLETON — The live music
of Johnny Cash and June
Carter Cash are back on stage in
“Ring of Fire,” performed at the
Vert Auditorium, 480 SW Dorion
Ave., for three performances:
May 6 at 7:30 p.m. and May 7 at
2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
First produced by Terry Hale
of the Friends of the Opera
House in May of 2016 at the Elgin
Opera House, the show was sold
out for three weekends. Now,
back by popular demand, the
original cast will reunite for an
encore revival performance at
the Vert.
Husband and wife performers
Brent and Jeanette Smith are
co-directing the show, and Hale
is the producer. Brent is an attor-
ney in La Grande and Jeanette
is a music educator for the La
Grande School District, and they
are raising four children.
“Jeanette has more of a
musical theater background,
Elgin Opera House/Contributed photo
Cast members take their turns
representing Johnny Cash and June
Carter Cash at various decades
of their lives in “Ring of Fire,” a
stirring musical performance of
their careers together. The show,
presented May 6 and 7, showcases
30 songs and several unforgettable
Johnny-June duets.
and I have more of a band per-
formance background, so we
brought together kind of the best
elements of those communities,”
Brent said.
“Ring of Fire” is more than a
jukebox musical. It’s a live con-
cert of the best of Johnny Cash.
“So many musicals today are
performed by accompaniment
tracks, and it’s a good experi-
ence to have live music and mu-
sicians on stage with the actors,”
Jeanette said.
The band has the same core
We thank these Chambers Members
for their continued support
Elgin Opera House/Contributed photo
Brent Smith plays Johnny Cash in
“Ring of Fire” at Vert Auditorium in
Pendleton on May 6 and 7. Brent
and his wife, Jeanette Smith, are the
directors of this story of Johnny and
June Carter Cash’s music careers.
members as it did in the 2016
performance: Andy Steele is
the drummer, the bass is Roger
Barnes, and the guitar player and
band leader is Luke McKern.
“All three are tremendous and
accomplished musicians,” Brent
said. “I talked them into coming
into the musical theater role in
this show.”
The lives of Johnny and June
Carter Cash are played by four
diff erent acting couples, depict-
ing diff erent times of their lives.
To grab the audience’s attention,
the show starts with each of the
four Men in Black singing, “Hello,
I’m Johnny Cash.”
Playing Johnny Cash are
actor-singers Brent Smith, Ash-
ley O’Toole, Tucker Murphey, J.D.
Kindle and Dr. Wesley Rampton
as an aged Johnny. June Carter
Cash is played by Jeanette
Smith, Jocelyn Berado, Staci
Elguezabal and Karen Taylor. The
cast also includes Misty Hines as
Johnny Cash’s mother and Jor-
dan Uhlman as a featured singer.
“Ring of Fire” will take the au-
dience on a memorable journey
through time and the poignant
events that defi ned the lives of
Johnny and June Carter Cash as
told through their songs.
“Johnny Cash was as much the
progeny of the Carter family as
he was his own man,” Brent said,
“because of how important the
Carter family’s music was during
the time that he was coming up.”
The concert showcases 30
songs and several unforgettable
Johnny-June duets.
“My favorite song is ‘If I Were
a Carpenter’ that I sing as June,”
Jeanette said.
Brent said his favorite Johnny
Cash song he sings is “Folsom
Prison Blues.” The audience will
be invited to sing along with “I
Walk the Line.”
This encore performance is a
mix of chorus singers and danc-
ing, directed by choreographer
Abby Hale, as well as tender, inti-
mate moments of song between
Johnny and June.
“We’re also involving as many
performers and singers from
Pendleton as we can,” Brent said.
“We are still looking for more
chorus members,” Jeanette
added.
“We’re excited to bring ‘Ring
of Fire’ to audiences again, and
if you know these songs, you’re
going to love to hear them again,”
Brent said. “It blew their socks off
last time, so it’s not one to miss.”
Tickets can be purchased
through www.elginoperahouse.
com or by calling 541-663-
6324. Tickets are $18 for lower
level, $8 for balcony or $13 per
person in a group of 10 or more.
There is a $2 processing fee for
each ticket.
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