Folsom Prison Experience at The Rialto Square Theatre on January 20, 2024

Aug 4, 2023 | Just Added, Rialto News

Folsom Prison Experience at The Rialto Square Theatre on January 20, 2024

It was just announced that Folsom Prison Experience will be at Rialto Square Theatre on Saturday, January 20 at 7:30 PM. Tickets go on sale Friday, August 11 at 10 AM.

Step Back in Time with Folsom Prison Experience: An Electrifying Johnny Cash Tribute Show
The iconic 1968 live recording, “At Folsom Prison,” turned Johnny Cash into a crossover superstar, defying conventions and leaving a lasting legacy. Now, get ready to relive the unforgettable day of January 13, 1968, as Folsom Prison Experience takes the stage – an immersive tribute drama that merges live concert, stage drama, and audience participation to bring you into the heart of Johnny Cash’s legendary musical journey.

Fascinating and Full-Contact Tribute Drama
Folsom Prison Experience brings to life the enthralling behind-the-scenes tales of Cash’s historic concerts at California’s Folsom Prison. You’ll be transported back in time, witnessing the captivating performances of Johnny Cash, June Carter, and the Statler Brothers, as if you were part of that iconic event. Dubbed a “full contact immersive tribute drama,” this musical extravaganza promises to be an experience like no other.

Featuring the Award-Winning Church of Cash
At the heart of the production is Church of Cash, the acclaimed Johnny Cash tribute show, led by the remarkable Jay Ernest as the Man in Black. Co-written by Ernest and his collaborator Tom Pickard, Folsom Prison Experience weaves a rich tapestry of music, drama, and history that will leave audiences spellbound.

Premiere Event – A Not-to-Miss Experience
Get ready for an electrifying journey through history as the Folsom Prison Experience hits the road on a 4-State tour. Catch their captivating performances at prestigious venues like the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, The Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, the Ames Center in Burnsville, Minnesota, and the Pablo Center in Eau Claire. As an audience member, step into the action by dressing in your best prison inmate attire and reliving the same electric atmosphere that once cheered during Cash’s iconic 1968 concert. Stay tuned for more exciting performance dates to be announced soon!

A Personal and Professional Milestone
For Jay Ernest, bringing Folsom Prison Experience to life is both a personal and professional milestone. “I have spent years studying the history and music of Johnny Cash,” Ernest shares, “and it is a great honor to bring that historic day in Folsom Prison to theater enthusiasts and Johnny Cash fans alike.”

An All-Star Cast
Folsom Prison Experience boasts an exceptional cast, with Jay Ernest channeling the spirit of Johnny Cash, supported by the talented band members of Church of Cash as Cash’s band. The production is directed by Stephanie Long with Tom Pickard as technical director. The lineup also includes Kat Perkins as June Carter, Dan Hopman as The Warden, Ryan Maddux as Emcee Hugh Cherry, and Bronson Bergson as Glen Shirley/Carl Perkins, along with a dozen more actors portraying prison guards and the Statler Brothers.

A Labor of Love
Writing Folsom Prison Experience was a two-month labor of love for Ernest and Pickard, drawing from a wealth of historical sources and folklore to craft an inclusive and authentic portrayal of that pivotal day. The incorporation of songs from Cash’s second live-in-a-prison album, “At San Quentin,” adds another layer of depth to this extraordinary stage production.

Folsom Prison Experience – Reliving Johnny Cash’s Legacy
Coupled with the recent Church of Cash album release, “Flowers for June,” Folsom Prison Experience serves as a powerful testament to Johnny Cash’s enduring influence on the collective consciousness. Jay Ernest and Church of Cash stand as proud champions of the Cash legacy, ensuring that his music and legend continue to captivate audiences for generations to come.

Don’t Miss This Unforgettable Journey
For a journey through time and a celebration of the Man in Black, join Folsom Prison Experience and let the spirit of Johnny Cash live on in your heart.

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Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives at Rialto Square Theatre

Feb 18, 2022 | Just Added, Rialto News

Country Musician Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives will be at Rialto Square Theatre on Thursday, May 19 at 7:30 PM.

The Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and musician is living country-music history. He’s played alongside the masters, from Cash to Lester Flatt, who discovered him; been a worldwide ambassador for Nashville, Bakersfield and points in between.

But most importantly, Stuart continues to record and release keenly relevant music, records that honor country’s rich legacy while advancing it into the future. Way Out West, his 18th studio album, hits both of those marks. Produced by Mike Campbell (of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), the album is a cinematic tour-de-force, an exhilarating musical journey through the California desert that solidifies Stuart as a truly visionary artist. Way Out West transports the listener to the lonely but magical American West.

“It is that spirit world of the West that enchants me,” says Stuart. Specifically, the promised land of California. Growing up in Philadelphia, Mississippi, Stuart was taken by the mystique of the Golden State: the culture, the movies and especially the music. “Everything that came out of California captivated my kid mind in Mississippi,” he says. “It seemed like a fantasy land. Way Out West is a love letter to that.”

As such, the album could only be recorded there, and Stuart, with his longtime backing band the Fabulous Superlatives, decamped for California. They recorded half of the album at Capitol Records and the rest at Campbell’s M.C. Studio, a gritty space with a vibe all its own. Much of the early Heartbreakers music was recorded at Campbell’s and that primal rock & roll energy is palpable throughout Way Out West, reinforced by Capitol’s own rock history: the Hollywood studio birthed iconic records like the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds and the country-rock of Glen Campbell’s Wichita Lineman. Way Out West, with its atmospheric production, evokes those classics, as well as cowboy records like Marty Robbins’ Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs and Cash’s The Fabulous Johnny Cash, one of the first albums Stuart ever owned.

When it comes to transforming country songs into tangible experience, Stuart has a secret weapon: The Fabulous Superlatives. Made up of guitarist Kenny Vaughan, drummer Harry Stinson and new member, bassist Chris Scruggs, the Superlatives are an extension of Stuart himself. “The Superlatives are missionaries, they’re fighting partners. They’re my Buckaroos, my Tennessee Three, my Strangers. They’re my legacy band and have been since Day One,” says Stuart.

As Stuart himself will tell you, he often ventures off the reservation – in a way, his entire career has been “way out west.” While other artists chased popular trends in the name of radio play, he formed complete bodies of work, not unlike the greats he idolized. Way Out West is just the latest embodiment of that creative mission.

But Stuart also made Way Out West for those who come after. As he sees it, there is no greater responsibility in music than to share what you’ve learned.

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