“Ring Of Fire” heats up Drury Lane with the currency of Johnny Cash’s country and gospel legacy

Few country and gospel artists crossed over to all audiences to the degree of Johnny Cash, or rocked as hard in the process, while his authenticity behind the scenes also seemed to be second to none.

The multi-genre Hall of Famer’s legacy continues, not only with a treasure trove of recordings dating back to the late 1950s, but the biopic “Walk The Line” and Broadway’s “Ring Of Fire,” which was just adapted by Drury Lane Theatre and runs through Sunday, October 22.

Much like the subsequent “Million Dollar Quartet” mash-up of Cash, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, this is basically a jukebox musical meets tribute concert, though it hones in specifically on the main character’s songbook, from humble Arkansas beginnings on the family farm to signing with Sun Records.

“Quartet” regular Michael Potter plays the younger version of J.R., while fellow alum Ron E. Rains portrays the older Johnny looking in the rearview mirror as a narrator, both of whom channel Cash with the utmost of accuracy.

Joining them on a basic but effective rotating set of a performance space and train station are Aja Wiltshire (as his second wife June Carter), Roy James Brown (Marshall), Elleon Dobias (Viv) and Erik Hellman (Luther), who are basically the band adding extra fuel and southern flavor to “Country Boy,” “Big River,” “Ring Of Fire” (naturally) and dozens more.

Unlike many shows of this nature seeking to sanitize the rougher edges of its subject, honesty takes precedence during scenes of drug abuse, the road’s detrimental effect on family life and getting temporarily tossed in jail.

Even so, those circumstances only bolster such classics as “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Man In Black” and “I Walk The Line,” plus make an eventual redemption that much more relatable.

As the decades progressed, he naturally got more reflective on the topic of mortality, perhaps best articulated throughout “Waiting On The Far-Side Banks Of Jordan,” but rather than wrapping on a somber note, “Ring Of Fire” steamrolled with the stomping likes of “Hey Porter” and “A Boy Named Sue,” letting Drury Lane hear a few more wildly unique reasons why they’ll never be another artist quite like Johnny Cash.

“Ring Of Fire” continues at the Drury Lane Theatre through Sunday, October 22. For additional details, visit DruryLaneTheatre.com.