LOVE IS A BURNING THING, AND NO ONE BURNED BRIGHTER THAN JOHNNY CASH AND JUNE CARTER CASH.
THEIR MUSIC, THEIR LOVE, THEIR STORY, LIVE ON STAGE.
He was a small-town musician and storyteller with a voice that stirred the soul. She was the comedienne of the first family of country music.
The Ballad of Johnny & June takes you inside the soaring highs and shattering lows of a love story that defined an era. 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.
American musical theatre star Christopher Ryan Grant, who originated the role of Johnny Cash in both the San Diego and Canadian premieres, now brings his acclaimed portrayal to the UK stage for the first time, joined by award-nominated actress Christina Bianco (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Wizard of Oz).
Packed with legendary hits including I Walk the Line, Ring of Fire, Hey Porter, Jackson, I’ve Been Everywhere and directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys, The Who’s Tommy, and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical), don’t miss your chance to join music royalty for The Ballad of Johnny & June.
Gallery
Cast Announcement
Music Video
Age guidance: 12+
This production includes themes of drug and alcohol abuse, a rifle seen on stage but not fired, and some strong language.
UK & IRELAND TOUR
MARCH 2026
APRIL 2026
MAY 2026
JUNE 2026
JULY 2026
AUGUST 2026
SEPTEMBER 2026
Cast
Training: MFA Yale School of Drama, British American Drama Academy at Oxford University, BFA University of Evansville.
Broadway credits include: Thanksgiving Play (Hayes Theatre), The Iceman Cometh (Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre), Million Dollar Quartet (Nederlander Theatre). Select theatre credits include: Shakespeare in the Park, The Public Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop, Lincoln Center, NY Stage and Film, Shakespeare Theatre D.C., Baltimore Center Stage, The MUNY, and many more.
Film credits include: Baby Ruby (directed by Bess Whol), Let Him Go, Rolling on the Floor Laughing, Glitch Baby. Television credits include: Law & Order: SVU, Chicago P.D., The Blacklist, FBI: Most Wanted, The Other Two, Lincoln’s Dilemma.
A veteran of the voice over industry, Christopher has voiced many national commercial campaigns including Head and Shoulders, Downy, Verizon, Pup-Peroni, Florida’s Natural, and over 100+ audiobook narrations. He is also an accomplished musician and has played on stage with the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Wanda Jackson, Melissa Etheridge, Dion, Gordon Lightfoot, Ronnie “The Hawk” Hawkins, Asleep at the Wheel, and many more.
Theatre credits include: The Narrator in Joseph And The Amazing Technicolored Dreamcoat (UK Tour, Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals), Ado Annie in the 80th Anniversary concert of Oklahoma (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Glinda in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Wizard Of Oz (London Palladium), and the Menier Chocolate Factory’s production of Forbidden Broadway (Vaudeville Theatre). New York credits include: Forbidden Broadway (Drama Desk Award nomination) the one-woman, multi-character comedy Application Pending (Drama Desk Award nomination), The Marvelous Wonderettes, It Must Be Him and Newsical the Musical. Other theatre credits include: Minnie Fay in Hello Dolly (Indianapolis Symphony), Maureen in Rent (Weston Playhouse). Television credits include: The Imitation Game (ITV), Impress Me (POP TV), Signed, Sealed, Delivered (Hallmark), and frequent voice work for RuPaul’s Drag Race. Christina was awarded the Trophees De Le Comedie Musicale for her portrayal of Fanny Brice in Theatre Marigny’s acclaimed production of Funny Girl in Paris, and played LV in the 30th Anniversary UK tour of The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice.
Bianco captured international acclaim as a YouTube sensation with her ‘diva’ impression videos gaining over 25 million views. Dubbed ‘the girl of a thousand voices,’ she has performed on television programs such as The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Today Show, The Paul O’Grady Show and This Morning.
Christina has performed her critically acclaimed concerts to sold out crowds around the world, including two UK tours and extended runs in London (Charing Cross Theater, Menier Chocolate Factory) Spain, South Africa and Australia (Sydney Opera House). She frequently tours with major US and Canadian symphonies and performs her solo symphony show under the direction of renowned Maestro Jack Everly. Her live album, Life Of The Party, is available on iTunes and all major streaming platforms.
Training: Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. Theatre credits include A Christmas Carol (Sheffield Crucible), Clueless (Trafalgar Theatre), Jesus Christ Superstar (UK Tour), Mandela (The Young Vic), The Book Thief (Octagon Theatre), Tina the Musical (Aldwych Theatre), Sunny Afternoon (Harold Pinter Theatre and UK Tour), Quadrophenia the Musical (UK Tour), Romeo & Juliet (RSC), Shadow Mouth (Sheffield Crucible). Television credits include: Joan, The Crown (Season 4), and The Serpent. Other credits include: One Drop (Short Film), Jethro Tull & Ian Anderson Band (Singer) and Cat Yusuf Stevens (Guest Vocalist).
Training: MA (Musical Theatre) Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, BA (Hons) University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Theatre credits include: Come What May (UK Tour), Principal vocalist in Lord of the Dance (International Tour), Cantata Memoria: For the Children (Carnegie Hall), Welsh of the West End. Belle in Beauty and the Beast (Stafford Gatehouse), Fairy Ffion in Jack and the Beanstalk (Swansea Grand Theatre), Spirit of the Ring in Aladdin (Swansea Grand Theatre). Television credits include: Can I Gymru (Welsh National), Songwriting Competition, Stwnsh Sadwrn (Presenter), Bryn Terfel Scholarship, Noson Lawen and Britain’s Got Talent (Finalist) Other work includes: Vocalist for Lost Boys and Fairies (Soundtrack).
Training: Mountview Academy. Theatre Credits include: My Fair Lady (Curve Theatre), The Wizard of Oz (Gillian Lynne Theatre and UK Tour), Bleak Expectations (Criterion Theatre), Robin Hood – The White Rock (Hastings), The Miracle Worker (The Cramphorn Theatre, Chelmsford), Confessions (The Playground Theatre), The Butterfly Lion (Barn Theatre, Cirencester), Peter Pan (Beck Theatre), Goodnight Mister Tom (Duke of York’s Theatre), The White Feather (Union Theatre), Bye Bye Birdie (Rose and Crown), War Horse (Gillian Lynne Theatre), Dick Whittington (The White Rock), A Winter’s Tale & The Hired Man (Landor Theatre), The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (360 ° Theatre, Kensington Gardens) and Evita (UK and European Tour).
Training: Newcastle College.
Theatre credits include: Henry Miller in Calamity Jane (UK tour), Da in Once the Musical (Tokyo Orb UK tour), Charlie Thompson in The Sunderland Story (Sunderland Empire), Never Lost at Home, Once the Musical, Our Blue Heaven, Mid-summer Songs (The New Wolsey Ipswich), Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, Comedy of Errors, Hamlet, The Morte Arthur, The Drunks, Ahasvarus, (RSC Stratford, London and New York), Animal Farm, A Clockwork Orange, 1984, Grimm Tales, Ballroom of Romance, Great Expectations, Pinocchio, Twelfth Night (Northern Stage Ensemble), Sleeping Beauty (Sunderland Empire Theatre) Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Dick Whittington, Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Newcastle Theatre Royal), Cinderella and Peter Pan (Darlington Hippodrome), Cinderella (Hull New Theatre), Jack and the Beanstalk Rock and Roll Panto and Cinderella Rock and Roll Panto (Leeds City Varieties), The Tempest (Northern Stage), Beyond the End of the Road (November Club), The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe (Kensington Gardens), The Firework Makers Daughter/ Venetian Twins (Sheffield Crucible/Bolton Octagon), Cabaret and Oh What a Lovely War (Live Theatre Newcastle). Peter is well known in his native North East for his one man show about the life of Club Comedian The Little Waster Bobby Thompson.
Film credits include: Detective Harrigan. Television credits include: Vera, Byker Grove, Emmerdale, Spender, Harry, The Bobby Thompson Story and Show People.
Training: Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Theatre credits include: Alternate Hades in Hadestown (Le Carre, Amsterdam), Worker/Cover Hades in Hadestown (Lyric Theatre), Nick Massi in Jersey Boys (UK and Ireland Tour), Ensemble/Cover Hotep in The Prince of Egypt (Dominion Theatre), Sailor Quartet/Ensemble in Anything Goes (UK Tour/Barbican), Smudge in Forever Plaid (Upstairs at the Gatehouse), Arthur Quinn in The Lightning Road (Actors Church). Film credits include: The Prince of Egypt: Live from the West End. Television credits include: The Olivier Awards with Anything Goes, Dancing on Ice with The Prince of Egypt. Other work includes Original Cast Recording of The Prince of Egypt (Album); Ball and Boe (Television), The Time Travellers Wife (Workshop).
Training: BA (Hons) Acting, Rose Bruford College. Theatre credits include: Wifford and Fight Captain in Sherlock Holmes and The 12 Days of Christmas (Birmingham Rep), Oliver in Don’t Forget (Workshop), Matthew Parker in Anne Boleyn: The Musical (Hever Castle), David Morse in Pretty Woman: The Musical (Theatre 11 Zurich / UK Tour), Fred in A Christmas Carol The Musical (Hope Mill Theatre / The Lowry), Mutumbo, First Cover Mafala and The General in The Book Of Mormon (West End and UK/International Tour), and Mayday Mayday Tuesday: Mikhail’s Story (The Ugly Duck).
Training: Arts Educational Schools, the BRIT School, Betty Wivell Academy of Performing Arts. Theatre credits include: Alternate Sally Bowles in Cabaret (KitKat Club/West End) Pippin: The 50th Anniversary Concert (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Rent, Sweet Charity (Arts Ed).
Other work includes: The End of the Affair (Workshop), Starlight Express (Workshop), ‘Kissing Fools’ (Music Video).
Training: MA Musical Theatre, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Theatre credits include: Jimmy Rabbitte in The Commitments (Palace Theatre), The Poet in The Choir of Man (Arts Theatre/US Tour/Sydney Opera House/Playhouse Square Cleveland), Celtic Exodus (The Complex, Dublin), Drumboe (The Balor Theatre, Donegal), Rhythm of the Dance (UK & European Tour). Television credits include: Crá and The Hardacres. Other credits include: Fairview Park (Short Film), When the Seagulls (Short Film), Take 2 (Short Film), and Jack Mulligan (Short Film).
Training: MA (Musical Theatre) Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, BA (Musical Theatre) University of Chichester Conservatoire. Theatre credits include: Gwen Frost in Jack Frost the Musical (Tickledom Theatrical), Alys Fitzmorgan in Dick Whittington (Riverfront Theatre), Cheery/Understudy Snow White in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Crossroads Pantomimes), Lead Vocalist in After Hours West End – The Lockdown Sessions
Training: Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
Theatre credits include Oliver Twist (Derby Theatre, Patient: Soldier (Seven Dials Playhouse), The Commitments (UK and Ireland Tour), Pinocchio – The Greatest Wonder Of The Age (Lyric Theatre, Belfast), Peter Pan (Lyric Theatre, Belfast), Henry V (Pop-Up Globe, Melbourne/Auckland), As You Like It (Pop-Up Globe, Melbourne/Auckland), Once – The Musical (Olympia Theatre/Charlotte Theatre), Carmen the Gypsy (Arcola Theatre), Easter Rising And Thereafter (Jermyn Street Theatre), Catch Of The Day (Touring), Playboy Of The Western World, An Apple A Day (LIR), Bi (Rich Mix), The Greene Card (The Space), A Play For Bad Actors (Back Loft), Ourselves Alone (Samuel Beckett Theatre), Spring Awakening (Everyman Palace Theatre).
Theatre while training: The Commune, Blue Stockings (RCSSD)
Theatre credits include: Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls (Frinton Summer Theatre), Schlomo in Fame (European Tour), Jamie in The Last Five Years (International Tour), Josh in Halls (Turbine Theatre), Danny Zuko in Grease (Royal Caribbean International), Standby Jamie in The Last Five Years (Garrick Theatre), Allan in For the Lack of Laura (UK Tour), Tom in Sidekick (Edinburgh Fringe). Other credits include: BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall (Singer), Intermissions (Featured Artist)
Production
Company Manager – Nick Gingell
Stage Manager – Kieran Enticknap
Deputy Stage Manager – Katie Newton
Assistant Stage Manager (Book Cover) – Beth Brown
Assistant Stage Manager (Book Cover) – Beth Manicom
Head of Wardrobe – Naomi Day
Wardrobe Deputy – Beth Cooper
Head of Wigs, Hair and Make-Up – Millie Begg
Deputy Head of Wigs, Hair and Make-Up – Carmen Farr
Head of Sound – Mark Karrie
Tech Swing – Naomi Ireland Jones
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
“It has meant a great deal to me to be involved in bringing this new musical to the stage and see my parents Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash’s story told with such care, heart and honesty. Johnny and June’s music was inseparable from their lives, and this musical captures that truth through powerful story telling by a brilliant company, set to their genre-defining music. I have loved working with the creative team, and my family and I are both delighted and proud that audiences across the UK and Ireland get to see this celebration of their legacy.”
John Carter Cash (Son of Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash)
