RING OF FIRE Johnny Cash Musical Show Opens at Alhambra Tonight

The Alhambra Theatre & Dining will be rocking southern style when it opens it 2013 campaign with the renowned Johnny Cash tribute show, "Ring of Fire, the Johnny Cash Musical Show." The show features eight actors and a four-piece live band, bringing theatrical life to Cash's classic story songs. A true tribute to the man and his music, the show does not actually feature an actor playing Cash, who died in 2003, but it does chronicle his most-interesting life - from his debut at the Grand Ole Opry to Folsom County Prison and back to stardom. The show opened in 2006 at Broadway's Barrymore Theatre.

True to recent form, the Alhambra promises a big performance. Director Tod Booth commented ,"This show will very much have a concert feel." "We're going to kick up the tempo and the mood, and lay out Johnny's life story on a couple of giant screens." The show will start in Cash's hometown and wrap up with what booth calls a true concert. Lead Actor Chris Blisset has played the starring role five times. He will be joined on stage by his real-life wife, Amanda Ryan Paige. Both are from New York and were selected for the show last year during the Booth's annual casting trip. "It's really like a big cover band show," finished Booth. "We've got eight great actors channeling their inner-Johnny Cash. It's going to be a lot of fun."

Menu: Inspired by the era and some of Johnny Cash's favorites, the menu for "Ring of Fire" will start with a choice of garden salad with house made dressings or Pasta, Sausage and Navy Bean Soup. Entrée choices will include Sothern Style country fried steak served with buttermilk mash potatoes and pole beans or Smoked Chicken with honey mustard sauce, hand cut fries and squash casserole or Shrimp and Cajun sausage Jambalaya with rice Or VegetarIan White chili, cornbread, stewed tomatoes and okra. Chef DeJuan Roy will round out the menu with Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Pie with fresh whipped cream or an Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler.

"Ring of Fire, the Johnny Cash Musical Show" runs tonight, December 28 through February 3. Times are 8:00 PM for evening shows Tuesday through Sunday. Doors open at 6:00 PM and dinner starts at 6:30 PM. Matinees on Saturday are at 1:15 PM. Doors open at 11:00 AM and lunch starts at 11:15 AM. Sunday matinee is at 2:00. Doors open at noon and the meal starts at 12:15 PM. Group sales are available. Tickets start at $46 for adults and $35 for children. Ticket price includes dinner, show and parking. Call the box office at 904.641.1212 or at www.alhambrajax.com.

INTRODUCING the New Years Eve Special Event: The Alhambra will feature Ring of Fire as part of it's New Year's Eve special event which will include a menu different from the regularly-scheduled performances, a live band after the show, a balloon drop at midnight and then a complete southern breakfast buffet so guests can party into the wee hours. The special event will include a dancing, a hat decorating contest and other surprises.

The Alhambra Theatre is the nation's longest continually operating professional dinner theatre and the only professional resident theatre between Atlanta and Miami. Opened in 1967, The Alhambra has hosted legends such as Tony Curtis, Claude Aiken, Sid Cesar and Cesar Romero, and, recently, Loretta Swit, Barry Williams, Jamie Farr, Sally Struthers and Joyce Dewitt. The Alhambra was the place of Betty Grable's final acting role. The Alhambra is also home to former Miss America, Orange Park native Leanza Cornett who started at the Alhambra when she was 15. In November 2009, the Alhambra was purchased by Theatre Partners, LLC, headed by Jacksonville entrepreneur and Alhambra patron, Craig Smith as way to give back to Jacksonville and preserve what he believes is one of its cultural jewels.

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