Johnny meets June backstage at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, and it’s love at first sight – or is it? It all depends on who’s telling the story, and that question lies at the heart of The Ballad Of Johnny & June, an affectionate yet unflinching portrait of country music royalty, Johnny Cash and June Carter.
On Robert Brill’s magnificent set, resembling a rustic Appalachian mountain cabin complete with weathered timbers and mismatched furniture, Des McAnuff (who also directs) and Robert Cary’s book charts the lives of these two country music legends. Their son, John Carter Cash (Ryan O’Donnell), serves as narrator, guide and performer, steering us through the triumphs and disasters of his parents’ remarkable relationship, often interacting with the audience with great charm. As the story unfolds, we see two already-married people fall hopelessly in love while grappling with addiction, infidelity, and the relentless pressures of fame. None of it is sugar-coated, and the production is all the richer for presenting these icons as deeply flawed human beings.
The narrative shifts backwards and forwards through time, with surtitles above the stage identifying each location while Brill’s versatile set remains largely unchanged, relying on carefully chosen props to suggest different settings. Amanda Zieve’s superb lighting bathes everything in a warm sepia glow that perfectly evokes both nostalgia and melancholy. Even with a first act stretching to seventy minutes, the storytelling never loses momentum or outstays its welcome.
Christopher Ryan Grant is utterly convincing as Johnny Cash, capturing not only the unmistakable voice but the physical presence and brooding charisma of “The Man in Black”. Christina Bianco is equally superb as the long-suffering but fiercely resilient June Carter, and the chemistry between them feels completely authentic. They’re supported by a first-rate ensemble of six who seamlessly switch between multiple roles while also picking up instruments when required. Behind them, a six-piece band sits onstage, adding to the intimate concert atmosphere. Better still, unlike so many modern musicals, the sound is beautifully balanced, allowing every lyric to be heard without deafening the audience; great credit is due to sound designer Peter Fitzgerald.
Naturally, there’s no shortage of songs. Classics including “I Walk The Line”, “Ring Of Fire” and “A Boy Named Sue” sit alongside heartfelt duets, while the newly written title song, “The Ballad Of Johnny & June”, performed by John Carter Cash, neatly threads the narrative together. The only real misstep is the inclusion of “Hurt”, used during Cash’s struggles with addiction in 1983. It’s the only time that this device is used, and whilst undeniably moving, as the song wasn’t written until 1994 and wasn’t recorded by Cash until 2002, it jars as an unnecessary historical anomaly even if it’s an extraordinary song.
The Ballad Of Johnny & June could easily have settled for being a sanitised jukebox tribute, but McAnuff and Cary wisely tell the story warts and all. It’s funny, touching and deeply humane, never losing its affection for its subjects while refusing to idolise them. With so many musical biographies arriving on stage in recent years – Beautiful, Jersey Boys and Sinatra – The Musical among them—The Ballad Of Johnny & June may possibly be the finest of them all.
Review by Alan Fitter
From the stage to the road, through triumphs, heartbreak and redemption, this brand-new musical, created with the support of their family and told through the eyes of their son, John Carter Cash, shows why Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash remain one of the most influential couples of the 20th Century.
CAST
Johnny Cash – Christopher Ryan Grant
June Carter Cash – Christina Bianco
John Carter Cash – Ryan O’Donnell
With Celyn Cartwright, Abigail Matthews, Peter Peverley, Christopher Short, Chomba S. Taulo, Anne-Marie Wojna, Denis Grindel, Mia Jae, Michael Mahony, Lenny Turner
CREATIVES
Director and Co-Author – Des McAnuff
Co-Author – Robert Cary
Music Supervisor / Arranger / Orchestrator – Ron Melrose
Choreographer – Byron Easley
Designer – Robert Brill
Lighting Designer – Amanda Zieve
Sound Designer – Peter Fitzgerald
Projection Designer – Sean Nieuwenhuis
Costume Designer – Sarafina Bush
Wigs Designer – Alberto Alvarado
UK Associate Director & Choreographer – Dayle Hodge
UK Associate Musical Supervisor – Ben Atkinson
Associate Sound Designer – Kelsh Buchman-Drage
Costume Supervisor & UK Associate Costume Designer – Emily Corner
WHAM Supervisor & UK Associate WHAM Designer – Suzy Barrett
Musical Director – Connagh Tonkinson
Orchestral Management – BW Musicians
Music Copyist – Russ Anixter
Production Manager – Lee Batty & Andy Fox for Setting Line
Casting Director – Serena Hill
Health & Safety Consultant – Chris Luscombe
General Management – Trafalgar Theatre Productions
THE BALLAD OF JOHNNY & JUNE
Richmond Theatre, 7 to 11 July 2026
Tour continues to 19 September 2026
Book Tickets for Shows at Richmond Theatre
