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The rehearsal room is rockin' and the countdown is on to opening night! Portland Center Stage is proud to announce the opening for the world premiere musical, One Night with Janis Joplin, a musical event celebrating the life of one of rock ‘n roll's greatest legends, created, written and directed by Randy Johnson and produced in association with the Estate of Janis Joplin & Jeffrey Jampol for JAM, Inc. 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 Sunday and some Saturdays, with 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/janis.
One Night with Janis Joplin will feature over twenty songs collected from Joplin's blues influences and iconic Joplin recordings and performances, including "Piece of My Heart," "Me and Bobby McGee," and "Summertime." The show will also include a song Janis never got to record, "I'm Gonna Rock My Way to Heaven." Joplin died before she was able to record the song, written for her by Jerry Ragovoy & Jenny Dean, with input and notes from Janis. The never before heard song will now receive its own world premiere in One Night with Janis Joplin.In the iconic role of Janis Joplin will be vocal phenom Cat Stephani. Understudying Janis and also singing with the band is Moriah Angeline. The mirroring role of The Blues Singer, singing Janis' musical influences, will be played by Sabrina Elayne Carten. Understudying The Blues Singer and also singing with the band is Marisha Wallace. For more about the cast, visit http://www.pcs.org/blog/item/one-night-with-janis-joplin-cast-and-creative-team/.
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 a partnership with PCS, the Janis Joplin Estate and Jeffrey Jampol of JAM, Inc. (www.wemanagelegends.com). The show is created, written and directed by Randy Johnson, who previously directed Elvis the Concert, and was the original Producer of Always Patsy Cline. To see the full biography for Randy Johnson, and to learn more about his fascinating career, visit www.randyjohnson1.com.Production Sponsors for One Night with Janis Joplin are John Taylor & Barbara West, Key Bank and Ellyn Bye. Portland Center Stage's 2010/11 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.Jampol Artist Management, Inc. (JAM, Inc.) manages rock legends The Doors and the Estates of Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Peter Tosh, and Rick James. The firm also serves as consultant to the Estate of Michael Jackson. Dedicated to the re-introduction of timeless art through modern means, JAM, Inc. develops, preserves, protects and enhances the work of iconic artists and reaches out to successive generations of music fans. Using new distribution channels, new technology and other emerging resources, JAM, Inc. cultivates the recordings, images, writings and other creations of their clients in order to keep them circulating in the cultural bloodstream.
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.
