ONE NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN to Begin at Milwaukee Rep, 5/3
By: BWW News Desk Apr. 26, 2013
With a voice like whiskey and a laugh like pure joy, Janis Joplin took the music scene by storm. Simultaneously rough and vulnerable, Joplin was dubbed the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll, proving music wasn't just a man's world anymore. Now, in a new musical event featuring more than a dozen singers and band members, playwright-director Randy Johnson creates "a compelling portrait of an artist" (Culturemob) through the words, inspiration and music of one of America's greatest rock 'n' roll originals. One Night With Janis Joplin is a full-on concert experience and musical journey into the life and inspirations of one of rock 'n' roll's greatest legends and it runs in The Rep's Quadracci Powerhouse from May 3 - June 2, 2013 and opens on Monday, May 6, 2013. Packed with classic songs ("Piece Of My Heart," "Summertime," "Mercedes Benz"), One Night With Janis Joplin also shines the spotlight on trailblazers who influenced Janis - like Bessie Smith, Etta James and Aretha Franklin.
This production will feature Mary Bridget Davies in the iconic role of Janice Joplin. Davies has wowed audiences across the country with her energetic, dynamic performance. The talented cast also features Sabrina Elayne Carten, Alison Cusano, Shay Saint-Victor and Kimberly Yarbrough. A band will accompany the cast on stage and includes: Ross Seligman, Stephen Flakus, Patrick Harry, Tyler Evans, Mitch Wilson, Blair Bielawski, Greg Garcia and Brett Murphey.
One Night With Janis Joplin is produced at Milwaukee Repertory Theater in association with Todd Gershwin and Daniel Chilewich of One Night Productions, LLC, the Estate of Janis Joplin and Jeff Jampol of JAM, Inc. Additional producers for this production are Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, Cleveland Play House and Pasadena Playhouse. The Milwaukee run of One Night With Janis Joplin is sponsored in part by BMO Harris Private Bank.
"Having lived in Milwaukee for three years now, I have quickly learned that this city certainly knows how to make the most of its all too short summers," said Artistic Director Mark Clements. "In addition to the numerous great outdoor and lakefront activities, Milwaukee's celebrated music scene hosts Summerfest, the world's largest music festival for two gloriously packed weeks in June and July. So what better way to really get people in the mood for this great local event, than by sharing with Milwaukee a rock performance extraordinaire that has been taking the country by storm recently? One Night With Janis Joplin will celebrate the music of legendary rock icon and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artist, Janis Joplin, right on The Rep's Quadracci Powerhouse stage this spring."
"Every performance of One Night With Janis Joplin, is like a family homecoming for me," stated Laura Joplin, sister to Janis Joplin. "I'm blessed with the opportunity to see, feel and re-create the intense pleasure of engaging with my sister again. Janis may have died in 1970 but she comes alive again when she shares a funny story onstage, belts out her songs with her unique emotional wrapping and pushes me to share my emotional bonding in foot-stomping, hand-clapping and sing-along magic. I would attend the show every night of the run for the thrill of feeling the power of those times and this woman."
One Night With Janis Joplin was produced this past summer by One Night Productions in partnership with the Cleveland Playhouse and Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., following a previous production at Portland Center Stage in 2011. It just finished a run at Pasadena Playhouse this past weekend. This hit musical has garnered multiple nominations for the 2012 BroadwayWorld.com Awards and recently won the 2012 Cleveland Critics Circle Awards for Best Regional Touring Production and Best Actress in a Musical (Mary Bridget Davies).
THE CAST
Sabrina Elayne Carten (Blues Singer) performed in the Portland Center Stage world premiere of One Night With Janis Joplin and is excited to reprise her role; she began her career with Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra in Porgy and Bess and has performed at notable opera houses around the world; other credits include Show Boat and Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth; Alison Cusano (Joplinaire/Janis Alternate) returns to One Night With Janis Joplin as the Janis Alternate; other credits include Factory Girls at Goodspeed Musicals; The Full Monty and Hello, Dolly! at Ogunquit Playhouse and Hair at Cohoes Music Hall, amongst others; Mary Bridget Davies (Janis Joplin) starred as Janis Joplin in the national tour of Love, Janis; she was awarded Best Actress by the Cleveland Critic's Circle for One Night With Janis Joplin; other credits include the Broadway show It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues, Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes and being a member of Something Dada Improvisational Comedy Co.; Davies has received numerous awards for her voice and band, most recently her new album has been nominated for a 2013 Blues Music Award for Best New Artist Debut; Shay Saint Victor (Joplinaire/Back-up Singer) will be joining the cast of One Night With Janis Joplin for the first time; recently she toured singing gospel with the Change Experience; theater credits include Freeda in Freeda Peoples (Billie Holiday Theatre) and Angel in A Garfield Christmas (tour); televison credits include All My Children; Kimberly Yarbrough (Joplinaire/Blues Singer Alternate) is a veteran actress from Memphis, TN; she captivated audiences during Season Two of NBC's The Voice; TV credits include Southland, 2 Broke Girls, Vegas, Bones and recurring appearances on Dexter and Conan; Kim's vocals are regularly featured on the hit FX show Sons of Anarachy; stage credits include Ain't Misbehavin', Once on This Island, the original cast of Nuncrackers and The Woman of Brewster Place.MUSICIANS:
Ross Seligman (Music Supervisor/Guitar) returns to One Night With Janis Joplin after performing in the show at Portland Center Stage (world premiere), Cleveland Play House, Arena Stage and Pasadena Playhouse; regional theater credits include: Bat Boy: The Musical, The Fantasticks, West Side Story, Cabaret and It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues (Portland Center Stage Company) and Jekyll & Hyde, They're Playing Our Song and Chicago (Broadway Rose Theatre Company); Stephen Flakus (Guitar) returns to One Night With Janis Joplin having been with the production since Portland; other credits include: Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth (MGM Grand in Las Vegas) and Pump Boys and Dinettes (Broadway Rose Theatre Company); Patrick Harry (Bass) also returns to One Night With Janis Joplin having performed at Portland Center Stage, Cleveland Play House, Arena Stage and Pasadena Playhouse; he works as a freeLance Bassist in Portland; Portland credits include The Wild Party, Eating Raoul and Spring Awakening (Live On Stage); Annie, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Richard Scarry's Busytown (Northwest Children's Theater), amongst others; Tylar Evans (Keyboard) is thrilled to return to One Night With Janis Joplin after its Portland Center Stage debut and success at Cleveland Play House, Arena Stage and Pasadena Playhouse; he has music-directed and performed in various Portland productions including Spring Awakening (Live On Stage); West Side Story, Cabaret, Sunset Boulevard and Oklahoma! (Portland Center Stage) and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Broadway Rose Theatre Company); Mitch Wilson (Drums) also returns to One Night With Janis Joplin; he is a drummer and singer/songwriter who has worked with The Pretty Reckless; Wilson's theater credits include White Christmas, Annie, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Grease and most recently, Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth; Blair Bielawski (Saxophone) holds a BA in Music Education from Carroll University and a MA from University of Wisconsin; he is currently an author and part of the advisory group for Lorenz Educational Press as well as an author and composer for Heritage Music Press; before joining Lorenz he was a member of Hal Leonard Corporation's editorial and arranging staff; Greg Garcia (Trumpet) attended UW-Milwaukee and was a member of the Symphony Band, Wind Ensemble and was lead trumpet in the Jazz Ensemble; he has been teaching at the Waukesha County Conservatory of Music since 1996 and he is also a member of the faculty at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music; he is also a member of the bands Hot Sauce and The Groove Hogs; Brett Murphey (Trumpet) is the lead trumpet player for the All-Star SUPERband with whom he has been playing since 2000; he has recorded, toured and performed with Frank Sinatra, Barbara Streistrand, The Bee Gees, KC and the Sunshine Band and Dionne Warwick, among many others; he has played lead trumpet for over 45 different Broadway touring productions including he King and I, The Pirates of Penzance, Camelot, Cabaret, Nine and Oklahoma!, to name a few.
CREATIVE TEAM:
Randy Johnson (Writer/Director) see bio below; Justin Townsend (Scenic and Lighting Designer) has worked on Broadway and credits include: Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike, The Other Play and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson; other New York credits include: Here Lies Love and Juan and John (Public Theater); Galileo and Unnatural Acts (Classic Stage Company); Mile Like Sugar (Playwrights Horizon); Luck of the Irish and On The Levee (LCT3); Opus (Primary Stages); Speech and Debate (Roundabout Theatre Company) and Beauty on the Vine and Palace of the End (Epic Theatre); Jeff Cone (Costume Designer) has been designing costumes for more than 30 years; for the last 15 years he has been at Portland Center Stage; favorite productions include West Side Story, Cabaret, Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Sometimes a Great Notion, Snow Falling on Cedars and One Night With Janis Joplin; Carl Casella (Sound Designer) has worked as an audio designer, engineer and producer in some of New York's busiest recording studios and live venues, but his true passion is designing original musicals; his Broadway and Off-Broadway credits include One Night With Janis Joplin, My Fair Lady, Triassic Parq, Relatively Speaking, Baby It's You and The City Club, amongst many others; Darrel Maloney (Projection and Video Designer) has designed for broadcast, commercials, concerts, film and theater; his projection and video designs for Broadway include Green Day's American Idiot The Musical (St. James Theatre) and Everyday Rapture (Roundabout Theatre Company); other projection designs include The Elephant Man, Hughie, Checkers, Golden Child; Allegiance - A New American Musical and Surf: The Musical, to name a few; Dan Ozminkoski (Associate Lighting Designer) has regional credits which include Treasure Island - A New Musical (Arkansas Repertory Theatre) and Let Me Down Easy (Arena Stage, Wexner Center for the Arts, Philadelphia Theatre Company, San Diego Repertory Theatre and Berkeley Repertory Theatre; Josh Liebert (Associate Sound Designer) has recent designs which include South Pacific at Delaware Theatre Company, Off-Broadway's The Other Josh Cohen, Central Avenue at DIMF in South Korea and the recent European tour of Ain't Misbehavin'; Benjamin Keightley (Video Programmer) has Broadway credits that include Fela, The Best Man and Bonnie and Clyde; additional credits include Shania: Still the One at Caesars Palace and Surf at Planet Hollywood; Hethyr Verhoef (Production Stage Manager) is a native of Los Angeles and has had many years as lead fly man and deck hand; this will be her first time at Milwaukee Rep; Jessica R. Aguilar (Assistant Stage Manager) will also be making her Rep debut; credits include Intimate Apparel and Blues for an Alabama Sky (Pasadena Playhouse); Devil's Advocate and Dementia (Los Angeles Theatre Center) and Ken Roht's Nutcracker Workshops (Center Theatre Group), to name a few.
BIOGRAPHIES:
Randy Johnson (Writer/Director) is a graduate of the USC School of Theatre in Los Angeles. Theater credits include the West Coast premiere of Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart; original producer of Always. . .Patsy Cline; writer and director of The Wildest!!!; and writer, director and choreographer of Conway Twitty: The Man, The Music, The Legend. Randy also co-conceived and directed Elvis: The Concert, which reunited Elvis' original band, singers and musical director in a virtual interactive concert featuring Elvis. Other directing work includes: Dick Clark's American Bandstand Classics hosted by Dick Clark (via video); Michael Bolton's world tour, Bolton Swings Sinatra; Audrey Hepburn in The Diary of Anne Frank for UNICEF; Katharine Hepburn in a PBS documentary on the life of Jimmy Stewart. At the Savoy Theatre, Randy directed and staged Songs My Mother Taught Me starring Lorna Luft. Randy also conceived and directed main stage productions aboard two ships on Celebrity Cruise Lines; directed and choreographed Paige O'Hara's nightclub act; staged and directed Tammy Wynette's final tour; and directed and co-produced Commitment to Life, which raised over 35 million dollars for AIDS Project Los Angeles. Randy also directed the grand opening of Universal Studios' Islands of Adventure, for executive producer Steven Spielberg. Randy is a recipient of a Crystal Apple Award for his work with Aids Project Los Angeles, was named Volunteer of the Year for his work with L.A. Shanti and was awarded two ISES Spirit of Excellence Awards for Horizons. Randy's autobiography, Adventures in the Hotel Crazy, will be published in the fall of 2013. www.randyjohnson1.com.For more information on the production, visit the official show website at: www.OneNightWithJanisJoplin.com.
PERFORMANCES:Friday, 5/3/13 - 8:00 pm - Preview
Saturday, 5/4/13 - No Performances
Sunday, 5/5/13 - 7:00 pm - Preview
Monday, 5/6/13 - 7:30 p.m. - Press Opening
Tuesday, 5/7/13 - No Performance
Wednesday, 5/8/13 - 7:30 pm
Thursday, 5/9/13 - 7:30 pm
Friday, 5/10/13 - 8:00 pm
Saturday, 5/11/13 - 4:00 pm*/8:00 pm
Sunday, 5/12/13 - 2:00 pm**/7:00 pm*
Tuesday, 5/14/13 - 7:30 pm**
Wednesday, 5/15/13 - 7:30 pm
Thursday, 5/16/13 - 7:30 pm
Friday, 5/17/13 - 8:00 pm
Saturday, 5/18/13 - 4:00 pm*/8:00 pm
Sunday, 5/19/13 - 2:00 pm**/7:00 pm*
Tuesday, 5/21/13 - 7:30 pm**
Wednesday, 5/22/13 - 7:30 pm
Thursday, 5/23/13 - 7:30 pm
Friday, 5/24/13 - 8:00 pm
Saturday, 5/25/13 - 4:00 pm*/8:00 pm
Sunday, 5/26/13 - 2:00 pm**/7:00 pm*
Tuesday, 5/28/13 - 7:30 pm**
Wednesday, 5/29/13 - 7:30 pm
Thursday, 5/30/13 - 7:30 pm
Friday, 5/31/13 - 8:00 pm
Saturday, 6/1/13 - 4:00 pm*/8:00 pm
Sunday, 6/2/13 - 2:00 pm**/7:00 pm*
*The role of Janis Joplin will be played by Alison Cusano at Saturday matinees and at Sunday evening performances.
**The role of BLUES SINGER will be played by Kimberly Yarbrough at Tuesday evening and Sunday matinee performances.
Milwaukee Repertory Theater is a nationally-recognized company that presents compelling dramas, powerful classics, award-winning contemporary works, full-scale musicals and side-splitting comedies housed in its three unique performance venues - the Quadracci Powerhouse, Stiemke Studio and Stackner Cabaret. The Rep also produces an annual production of A Christmas Carol at the Pabst Theater. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Clements, The Rep is committed to creating plays that are meaningful and relevant to the society we live in - plays that are challenging, visceral and engage the community through the issues they explore.
Pictured: Mary Bridget Davies as Janis Joplin in a scene from "One Night With Janis Joplin." Photo by Janet Macoska.
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