Catherine Lena Stephani Leads Portland's One Night with Janis Joplin, Previews 5/24

After an exhilarating national search, Portland Center Stage is proud to announce that casting is complete for One Night with Janis Joplin, the world premiere musical event celebrating the life of one of rock 'n roll's greatest legends. Previews for One Night with Janis Joplin begin Tuesday, May 24 with opening night on Friday, May 27 and performances through June 26, 2011. Performance times are Tuesday through Sunday, 7:30 pm, with matinees at 2:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday, and some Thursday matinees at noon. Tickets start at $36 for full adult prices, with student and under age 30 discounts available. Rush tickets may be available for some performances at $20 each. For a full calendar of performances and ticket availability, visit the show page at www.pcs.org/opus

In the iconic role of Janis Joplin will be vocal phenom Catherine Lena Stephani. Catherine most recently appeared at The Paper Mill Playhouse and The Hanger Theater in New Jersey. "So many of the singers blew us out of the water" says Artistic Director Chris Coleman. "Lots of people could sing the music, but few could really capture the essence of Janis. She was vulnerable/fragmented/intense. Catherine captured that perfectly." Understudying Janis and also singing with the band is Nicole Winter. The mirroring role of The Blues Singer, singing Janis' musical influences, will be played by Sabrina Elayne Carten, whose recent roles include Effie in Dreamgirls and Mama Morton in Chicago. Understudying The Blues Singer and also singing with the band is Marisha Wallace.

Of course, you can't have a great rock show without a great rock band. The band for One Night with Janis Joplin is made up of local Portland musicians Stephen Flakus, Mitch Wilson, Ross Seligman, Patrick Harry, Gavi de Tarr, David Milne, Tyler Evans, and Anton Van Oosbree.

One Night with Janis Joplin is created, written and directed by Randy Johnson. Johnson previously directed Elvis the Concert, which has consistently toured arenas all over the world for the past 14 years and is identified in the Guinness Book of World Records as "The most successful rock tour performed by an artist deceased." Johnson was also the original Producer of Always Patsy Cline, the hit show that has played at theaters across the U.S. One Night with Janis Joplin is a partnership with PCS, the Janis Joplin Estate and Jeff Jampol of Jampol Artist Management.

Production Sponsors for Opus are John Taylor & Barbara West, Key Bank and Ellyn Bye. Portland Center Stage's 20010/11 season is funded in part by Umpqua Private Bank, the Regional Arts & Culture Council and Work for Art; the Oregon Arts Commission; the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation; and Tim & Mary Boyle.

Portland Center Stage inspires our community by bringing stories to life in unexpected ways. Established in 1988 as a branch of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, PCS became an independent theater in 1994 and has been under the leadership of Artistic Director Chris Coleman since May 2000. The company presents a blend of classic, contemporary and original productions in a conscious effort to appeal to the eclectic palate of theatergoers in Portland. PCS also offers a variety of education and outreach programs for curious minds from six to 106, including discussions, classes, workshops and partnerships with organizations throughout the Portland metro area.

THE GERDING THEATER AT THE ARMORY houses a 599-seat Main Stage and the 200-seat black box Ellyn Bye Studio. It was the first building on the National Register of Historic Places, and the first performing arts venue, to achieve a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification. The Gerding Theater at the Armory opened to the public on Oct. 1, 2006. The capital campaign to fund the renovation of this hub for community artistic activity continues.

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