The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Spend ‘A Night with Janis Joplin’
IVORYTON — The Ivoryton Playhouse will present the 2014 Tony Award-nominated 2013 Broadway Musical, “A Night With Janis Joplin,” written and directed by Randy Johnson, from May 30 to June 24.
Born in Port Arthur, TX in 1943, Janis Lyn Joplin challenged racial and sexual stereotypes and created a sound and a style that has become legendary. She exploded onto the music scene in 1967 and, almost overnight, became the queen of rock and roll. Her unmistakable voice, filled with raw emotion and tinged with more than a touch of Southern Comfort made her a must-see headliner from Monterey to Woodstock.
Her unique sound, however, was originally created as a result of her love for some of the greatest African-American singers of all time. Now, theatergoers can share an evening with the Queen of Rock and Roll and her musical influences in “A Night with Janis Joplin.”
On Jan. 12, 1995, when she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, her profile proclaimed, “Janis Joplin’s star rose fast, burned bright and burned out too soon. The blues-influenced rocker had one of the most powerful voices of the Sixties. Her voice is equal parts tough and vulnerable, a
shout into the void that resonated with a generation.” Joplin biographer Myra Friedman added, “It wasn’t only her voice that thrilled, with its amazing range and strength and awesome wails. To see her was to be sucked into a maelstrom of feeling that words can barely suggest.”
The musical made its Broadway debut, under the direction of Randy Johnson, on Oct. 10, 2013, at the Lyceum Theatre, where it played for 140 performances before closing
on Feb. 9, 2014.
Mary Bridget Davies, who made her Broadway debut in the title role, earned a 2014 Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, and won a 2014 Theatre World Award for her critically acclaimed performance.
Sharing the lead role of Janis Joplin in this production are Francesca Ferrari and Paige McNamara. The cast also includes Aurianna Angelique, Jennifer Leigh Warren, Tawny Dolley and Amma Osei* who take on the roles of the many women who influenced Janis — Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Bessie Smith, Nina Simone and more.
A Night with Janis Joplin opens at the Ivoryton Playhouse on May 30th and runs through June 24th, 2018. Original direction by Randy Johnson, original set design by Brian Prather, original lighting design by Ryan O’Gara, original projections by Darrel Maloney, original costume designs by Amy Clark and original wig designs by Leah Loukas. This production is co-directed by Tyler Rhodes. Musical director is Michael Morris.
Performance times are Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Evening performances are
Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.
Tickets purchased before June 1st are $50 for adults, $45 for seniors, $22 for students and $17 for children and are available by calling the Playhouse box office at 860-767-7318 or by visiting our website at www.ivorytonplayhouse.org.
After June 1, tickets are $55 for adults and $50 for seniors.
Group rates are available by calling the box office for information.
The Playhouse is located at 103 Main Street in Ivoryton.