ONE NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN to Open San Jose Rep's 'Season of Innovation,' 9/5-29

Love, drones and fantasy baseball: unexpected topics that merely scratch the surface of everything the San Jose Repertory Theatre's Season of Innovation explores this year. Taking a compelling look into the human experience through the lens of seven artistic productions, Silicon Valley's top performing arts company has a lineup that runs the gamut of spending a wild night with Janis Joplin to questioning the ethics of aerospace technology.

"I've always believed the Rep should serve the community with programming that is relevant to greater San Jose," says Rick Lombardo, Artistic Director of San Jose Repertory Theatre. "The intersection of innovation, science and creativity in part defines our lives in Silicon Valley. Each of our seven productions explores this terrain in different ways - whether it's an innovative approach to telling a fairy tale in the World Premiere of The Snow Queen, or the use of cutting edge stagecraft in The Snow Queen and Buckminster Fuller, we're helping expand the conversations we as a community need to be having."

The Season of Innovation opens on an explosive, soul-stirring high note. The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll, Janis Joplin, comes to life on stage at the San Jose Repertory Theatre in "One Night with Janis Joplin" (September 5 - 29, 2013). Like a comet that burns far too brightly to last, Janis Joplin exploded onto the music scene in 1967 for three incredible years, reigning as the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll. The unmistakable voice filled with raw emotion and tinged with Southern Comfort made her a must-see headliner from Monterey to Woodstock. "One Night with Janis Joplin" is a musical journey celebrating the inspirations of one of Rock 'n' Roll's greatest legends. Featuring hits like "Piece of My Heart," "Summertime," "Bobby McGee" and "Mercedes Benz," this show threatens to have its audience dancing in the aisles with a live onstage band and concert-style performance as well as a rare glimpse at the lives of the rhythm and blues legends who Joplin claimed as inspirations.

After exploring faith and love in a committed gay relationship with Next Fall (Oct. 17 - Nov. 10, 2013), bucking the holiday theater norm with the World Premiere of Hans Christian Andersen-meets rock musical in Tim Burton-esque style in The Snow Queen, (Nov. 27 - Dec. 22, 2013), and a hilarious look at two friends obsessed with fantasy baseball and their "green" start-up in Tony Taccone's World Premiere comedy Game On (Mar. 27 - Feb. 23, 2014), Landscape with Weapon (June 19 - July 13, 2014) brings San Jose Rep's Season of Innovation to a provocative close. With Silicon Valley's aerospace technology industry booming nearby, Landscape with Weapon, told through the eyes of a genius drone warfare engineer, strikes close to home by questioning if scientists are morally responsible for their inventions.

All seven productions in San Jose Rep's Season of Innovation and a complete calendar of events can be viewed here: http://sjrep.com/plays/calendar. For more information on the Season of Innovation, upcoming productions, tickets, cast biographies and community programs that enrich lives through the fine arts, visit http://www.SJrep.com.