← All events
theatre · Tuesday 4 August 2026 · Various 
The Ballad of Johnny and June - Grand Opera House Belfast
At Grand Opera House · Great Victoria Street, Belfast, Co. Antrim
At Grand Opera House · Great Victoria Street, Belfast, Co. Antrim
A touring musical built around the songs of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash comes to one of Belfast’s grandest stages for five days in August 2026. Directed by Des McAnuff - the Olivier and Tony Award-winning director behind Jersey Boys and Ain’t Too Proud - The Ballad of Johnny and June tells the story through the eyes of their son, John Carter Cash, giving the familiar catalogue a personal and sometimes raw emotional frame. It suits fans of country music, fans of American music history, and anyone who has ever belted out Ring of Fire on a long car journey.
Christopher Ryan Grant and Christina Bianco lead a cast of thirteen alongside a full live band. Together they work through a set list that includes I Walk the Line, Hey Porter, Jackson, I’ve Been Everywhere, and Ring of Fire - songs that most people already know by heart, which tends to make a room generous and lively. The show runs two and a half hours including an interval, and is recommended for ages 12 and up; the production notes flag strong language and adult themes, so it is honest about the harder chapters of Cash’s story alongside the triumphs. A captioned performance is scheduled for Thursday 6 August at 7:30pm for those who need it.
The Grand Opera House sits on Great Victoria Street in central Belfast, right beside the Europa Bus Centre - one of the more convenient theatre locations in the country, particularly if you are travelling by coach or cross-border bus from Dublin or elsewhere in the Republic. Translink runs regular services from Dundalk and Dublin; the journey from Dublin Connolly via Enterprise rail takes roughly two hours and deposits you at Belfast Lanyon Place, a ten-minute walk or a short taxi ride from the venue. If you are driving, Great Victoria Street is well signposted from the M1 and M2; several multi-storey car parks are within a few minutes’ walk, including at Chichester Street and the Victoria Square area.
A summer evening show at the Grand Opera House - opened in 1895 and restored to full Victorian splendour after a £12.2 million renovation completed in 2021 - is an experience in itself before a note is played. The Cathedral Quarter and the Titanic Quarter are both within easy reach for a meal or a drink beforehand. There is more to see in Belfast and across Co. Antrim.
Heading to Grand Opera House in Belfast? Antrim has plenty more to see. Read the Belfast area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.