Get a Warm Winter Glow from Engeman’s Electrifying ‘Ring of Fire’

Cindi Sansone-Braff THE PATCH

The John W. Engeman Theater’s “Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash,” running now through March 1, 2026, features an exceptionally talented cast and creative team. Adapted from the Broadway production created by Richard Maltby, Jr. and conceived by William Meade, this show is packed with Johnny Cash’s iconic songbook and hits by many other well-known songwriters, including June Carter Cash, Merle Kilgore, Kris Kristofferson, Carl L. Perkins, Jack H. Clement, James Timothy Hardin, Shel Silverstein, and Terry Smith.

According to Paul Stancato, the show’s innovative choreographer and director, “This production is not a biography, nor is it a traditional musical narrative. It is a gathering of voices, memories, and songs that trace the spirit of Johnny Cash rather than the facts of his life… This is an actor-musician production, and the music is the heartbeat of storytelling.” So don’t come expecting a jukebox musical or a bio-musical. Do come expecting to be thoroughly entertained throughout the entire two-act performance.

Cash grew up surrounded by poverty but found strength and comfort in his family’s support and the uplifting sounds of gospel music. His rise to fame began in the mid-1950s as a key figure in Memphis, Tennessee’s vibrant rockabilly scene. Renowned for his musical range, Cash’s songs crossed genres—country, rock & roll, gospel, blues, and folk—earning him a rare place in the Country Music, Rock & Roll, and Gospel Music Halls of Fame.

“Ring of Fire” has no plot to speak of, just heartfelt, genuine glimpses into Cash’s onstage and offstage life. Rather than dramatizing the details of his life, the show centers on songs from Cash’s extensive catalog, letting the emotional arc of his music reveal his life’s trajectory. Ultimately, this well-received show (Saturday night’s production received a rousing standing ovation) is a musical love letter to the legendary Johnny Cash, revealing the heart, soul, mind, and body of this creative genius. The thematic scope of his music explores the human condition, fraught with unbearable loneliness, unrelenting addiction, heartbreak, and loss, and how the power of faith, family, love, and grace can pave the way to redemption. I left the theater feeling as if I had spent the evening in the company of talented performers who genuinely admire the Man in Black.

Speaking of talented performers, the Wojcik Casting Team assembled five superstar performers for this “Ironman” cast, which calls for the actors to play multiple characters. The ensemble includes Matt Cusack (who also serves as Musical Director), Armando Gutierrez, Allison Ann Kelly, Mark Mazzarella, and Cat Patterson. Each of these gifted artists possesses a trifecta of talent, including the ability to sing, act, and play a wide variety of musical instruments. The Swings are Mary Catherine Fehrenbacher, Trevor Lindley Craft, and Luke Surretsky.

The show opened with Cash’s songs influenced by his early years working alongside his Southern Baptist family in the cotton fields of Arkansas, and the Company’s moving rendition of “Five Feet High and Rising” was one of the show’s highlights.

Cusack aced the role of Older Johnny Cash, the show’s narrator. Cusack has powerhouse vocals, which he showcased in his riveting rendition of “Man in Black.” Mark Mazzarella, with his stellar vocals and swagger, commanded the stage as Young Johnny Cash. Furthermore, Mazzarella demonstrated his strong acting skills in scenes where Cash is drunk or stoned.

Kelly gave a memorable performance as Young June Carter, where she stole the show with her comedic rendition of Jack H. Clement’s “Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart.” The show also has many emotionally charged moments, including Kelly and Mazzarella’s passionate delivery of James Timothy Hardin’s searing ballad, “If I Were a Carpenter.”

Patterson, fiddler extraordinaire, delivered an award-worthy performance as Mama Cash and Older June Carter. Patterson mesmerized the audience with her breathtakingly beautiful rendition of “I Still Miss Someone.”

There are many humorous moments throughout the show. Gutierrez, a natural-born comedian, delighted the audience with his hilarious rendition of Clement’s “Dirty Old Egg Sucking Dog.” He also closed the show on a high note, rocking “A Boy Named Sue,” a tongue-in-cheek song that garnered Cash a Grammy in 1969.

Cash became empathetic toward the plight of prisoners after watching the 1951 film “Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison,” which inspired him to write songs from their unique perspective. Throughout his illustrious career, he performed in several prisons, including San Quentin, Huntsville State Prison, Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary, Cummins Prison, and Folsom Prison. The cast brought edgy realism to their high-energy performance of "Folsom Prison Blues."

No show about Cash would be complete without his signature songs, “I Walk the Line” and “Ring of Fire,” and this dynamic cast delivered unforgettable performances of these hits!

The outstanding creative team includes Kyle Dixon (Scenic Design), Dustin Cross (Costume Design), John Burkland(Lighting Design), Laura Shubert (Sound Design), Megan Cohen (Props Design), and Jeff Knaggs (Wig/Makeup Design).

If you’re stumped about what to gift someone for Valentine’s Day, tickets to this must-see musical treat are sure to please everyone. To purchase tickets, call 631-261-2900, go online at engemantheater.com, or visit the Engeman Theater Box Office at 250 Main Street, Northport.