The Man in Black would be proud of this show

Actors Theatre of Indiana (ATI) opens its 2024-25 season with Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash.

The song-filled show loosely traces the life of the singer/songwriter from his youthful days in the Arkansas cotton fields, through his early musical successes and marriage to June Carter, on to the very pinnacle of his life as a performer. Cash’s story is told almost entirely through a cornucopia of songs – a pleasing arrangement that both tells his tale and lifts our spirit into a delightful nostalgia.

Led by Kent M. Lewis as the narrator, who also directs and choreographs the show, the remarkably talented ensemble fills the stage with Cash’s catalogue. Lewis brings an uncanny vocal quality to his role – so much like Cash in timbre, tone, and expression, if you closed your eyes to listen to his interpretations, you would swear it was The Man in Black.

In her ATI debut, Sarah Hund does outstanding work portraying the females in Cash’s life. Long ago, I proclaimed her “the most talented performer I know,” and Ms. Hund retains that title with a performance full of vocals and instrumentations that are a pleasure to watch and hear.

(From left) Kent M. Lewis, Sarah Hund, Brandon Alstott, Matt McClure, and Jordan Simmons. (Photo by Meg Gates Osborne)

Joining with Lewis and Ms. Hund are a number of other accomplished musical performers, each playing a variety of instruments and singing in turn. I have seen Brandon Alstott play Cash in ATI’s Million Dollar Quartet and he often adds a worthy portrayal of the man to these proceedings. Matt McClure’s electric guitar work and the stand-up bass-playing of Jordan Simmons, along with musical director/pianist Nathan Perry, fill out the musical picture with aplomb. All six cast members readily combine their vocals resulting in some very fine close harmony work.

Praise must be added for Bernie Killian’s adaptable set design, Lizz Krull’s lighting design, and the work of sound designer Ben Dobler. Costumes coordinated by Alexander Stearns added much to the flavor of the show as did the props arranged by Cynthia Collins.

Bottom line: Highlights are plentiful here, too many to list. Just note that this ensemble presents a long series of wonderful and impressive performances as individuals and as a group. It’s been a good while since Mrs. K and I have attended a more pleasurable show. This is a must-see! Highly recommended!

Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash continues at ATI’s Studio Theatre in the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel through Sept. 29. You can get information about the schedule and tickets by calling (317) 843-3800 or by logging onto atistage.org.

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