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Kristen Schrum Feature Article
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Johnny Cash’s Alive at 145 By Rob Taylor The
Man In Black: The Johnny Cash Tribute Show Starring: Shannon Solo and Kristen Schrum Directed by the Theatre 145 Staff Written by Ruth Sprague When I was a kid, about 40 years ago, one show I watched religiously was the Johnny Cash Show. When he and his wife June Carter Cash sang it was the stuff dreams were made of. Theatre 145 brings back those memories and more through their first production, The Man In Black: The Johnny Cash Tribute Show.
To tell the truth I went through the doors not expecting much. I have seen more than a few Elvis tribute shows and, for the most part, been left wanting. So why would I expect anymore from a Johnny Cash impersonator?
Shannon Solo plays Johnny Cash. I have seen Solo before when he played the sleazy DJ on Grease, Vince Fontaine. I enjoyed him then but that performance was nothing compared to Cash. He has the attitudes, the inflections and the emotions of the man in black. There were several times, especially in the second act, when I could have closed my eyes and saw Johnny back on the old TV show.
The
surprise though was a young actress who the tribute’s producer decided
to keep secret until opening night. There was no mention of her in any
press releases. She was not on the flyer or posters and producers never
mentioned her name around me. Her name is Kristen Schrum and she’s
definitely going to be a new star in the
I did enjoy the first act, Johnny’s later years, but the second act was what made the play for me. It showed what exactly Solo could do. He turned into a country-rock star and got the crowd clapping and I actually saw one woman nearly dancing in her seat but once he and Schrum started singing duets…it was all over. There couldn’t have been anything better. Now, don’t get the idea that this is just a concert. It isn’t. You get a lot of insight in Cash’s life through a few brief anecdotes. Believe me…that added a LOT.
The thing is with “plays” like this there are a LOT of things that can happen…broken wires, bad amplifiers and a few hundred other things too bad to mention. I am sure sometime during rehearsals some of these things happened but they obviously got all straightened out and what appeared was pure perfection.
Can I recommend The Man In Black? Most definitely!!!! The theater is great, the price is right and Shannon Solo and Kristen Schrum WILL get you tapping your foot along with the music, singing along and/or even dancing in the aisles.
Theatre
145 is located at 145 West 11th St in Erie. Show times are
always at
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