Legendary country star, June Carter Cash, and her mother Maybelle are set to take the stage in Rosebud. That’s the premise of the play Wildwood Fire, which opened on May 6 on the BMO Studio Stage.
Rosebud School of the Arts alumni, Lauren de Graaf and Kelsey Krogman, wrote this one-woman tribute to Carter Cash which originally appeared last July in Rosebud. de Graaf is thrilled to reprise her role as June Carter Cash and closely identifies with the country songstress who passed away in 2003.
“She is a true inspiration for me. She did everything. She went to acting school, became a performer when she was very young, was a single mom and had two failed relationships all before she met Johnny Cash.”
de Graaf first became aware of June Carter Cash when she saw the film Walk the Line, which earned Reese Witherspoon an Oscar for portraying Carter Cash.
Director Morris Ertman says,” When I directed this show last season as a student final project, I knew it was worth developing more. I believe it is a show that has the potential to play in theatres across the country. It’s about a hard marriage, and the life force that it takes to stay in such a marriage. It’s a testimony to faith, the faith of both Maybelle and June Carter - and Johnny Cash’s even in his absence. It’s a play about sticking it out. It’s a play about music that becomes a balm in hard times. And like any of the old time country and gospel songs in the show, it’s about finding the music in the middle of worry and strife. It’s about dancing rather than falling - and it’s about falling to your knees when you can’t dance anymore. “
Wildwood Fire revolves around Carter’s tumultuous marriage to Johnny Cash. Of that relationship, June Carter is reported to have said, “it turns out I married the pills right alongside Johnny Cash” which could be viewed tragically except that she also said “I chose to see the happy times more prominently than the hurting times between them.”
In the end what remains are the songs. de Graaf reflects, “the music is clever, full of spunk, and deeply emotional, much like June Carter Cash. I thought I knew June until I learned the songs she made famous. She is a generous and feisty woman who has a giant heart, and her music is infused with these qualities. That is her legacy.”
Tickets for Wildwood Fire can be reserved by calling 1-800-267-7553 or by visiting rosebudtheatre.com.
