Forty years ago this week, Des McAnuff opened “Big River” at La Jolla Playhouse, which went on to Tony Awards fame and put the Playhouse and its director on the national artistic map.
On Sunday night, McAnuff opened his latest project at the Playhouse, the world premiere bio-musical “The Ballad of Johnny and June,” which tells the tumultuous love story of country singers Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash from the perspective of their only child together, son John Carter Cash.
The new musical has many of the things San Diegans have come to expect from the former Playhouse artistic director — great musicality, a strong singing cast, efficient storytelling and excellent design elements. But it’s missing McAnuff’s greatest signature — the dazzle factor.
There’s an eye-popping moment in every McAnuff musical — “Jersey Boys,” “The Who’s Tommy” and “Ain’t Too Proud,” to name a few — that knock the audiences’ collective socks off and “Johnny and June” doesn’t have that yet.
Perhaps it’s because the action in the show is confined to a small barn-like space that makes the story feel static. Or maybe it’s that all of the music — mostly written by the Cashes themselves — sounds a lot alike, without the breakout choruses or big finishes found in pop and musical theater songs. Or it might be McAnuff and Robert Cary’s book, which feels slightly old-fashioned with its narrator, John Carter Cash, telling the story to the audience rather than Johnny and June themselves.
John Carter Cash consulted with McAnuff and Cary to help them craft a script that’s more honest about the Cashes’ relationship, their past marriages and their drug addictions. It also presents some elements of the couple’s storied relationship and songs from multiple perspectives — Johnny’s highly embroidered version, June’s neater one and John Carter Cash’s real take. The musical includes brief histories of Johnny and June as children, but focuses mostly on their 47-year relationship, which began in 1956 as friends when they were both married to other people.
As Johnny, Christopher Ryan Grant bears an uncanny physical and vocal resemblance to the singer, he’s a good guitarist and he matches the way Cash held his guitar, danced and smirked. He also brings a darkness and gravitas to the role. Patti Murin is also a fine choice for June. She has the singer’s smile and vocal playfulness, and has captured the upbeat silliness of Carter’s stage presence. The two actors also share good stage chemistry.
Van Hughes is a warm and amiable narrator, fine singer and excellent guitarist as John Carter Cash. Gabriella Joy gives a heartbreaking performance as Vivian, Cash’s first wife. And five actor-musicians complete the cast in multiple roles as members of the Carter Family band and the Cash band: Maddie Shea Baldwin, Paula Leggett Chase, Drew Wildman Foster, Bart Shatto and Correy West. Behind the scenes, there’s also a crack country band highlighted by outstanding electric guitarist Joe Payne and trumpeter Joe Harris.
Ron Melrose is the show’s music supervisor, arranger and orchestrator and Byron Easley is choreographer, with scenery by Robert Brill, costumes by Sarafina Bush, lighting by Amanda Zieve, sound by Peter Fitzgerald and projections by Sean Nieuwenhuis.
Once “Johnny and June” wraps up in La Jolla, it will move to Citadel Theatre in Edmonton, Canada, which is co-producing the show in November. Hopefully there, the kinks can be worked out to bring the McAnuff dazzle the show needs.
‘The Ballad of Johnny and June’
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 1 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Through July 7
Where: Mandell Weiss Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla
Tickets: $25-$119
Phone: (858) 550-1010
Online: lajollaplayhouse.org