A Night with Janis Joplin

A Night with Janis Joplin is a musical that includes works of singer-songwriter Janis Joplin (1943–1970). Written and directed by Randy Johnson, the show has toured consistently since 2011, with a forthcoming stint at the Peacock Theatre in London beginning on August 20, 2024.

The show mounted at Portland Center Stage from May 24 through June 26, 2011 with Cat Stephani in the lead role, before it traveled for stints at The Allen Theatre at the Cleveland Playhouse, the Mead Center for American Theater, Milkwaukee Repertory Theater, and the Arena Stage in Washington, DC in 2012 with Mary Bridget Davies. One review wrote of the opening night that “Davies not only filled in, she transcended, delivering a performance so raw, real and in-the-moment that it brought people to their feet again and again.”

A Night with Janis Joplin officially opened at the Lyceum Theatre on Broadway on October 10, 2013 and closed in February, after 140 performances. The show was produced by Todd Gershwin and Daniel Chilewich, in association with The Estate of Janis Joplin and Jeffrey Jampol for JAM, Inc.

The Broadway version garnered a Tony Award Nomination for the lead actress Mary Bridget Davies. Davies, who was born in Cleveland, Ohio, has previously played Joplin in the 2005 production of Love, Janis. She has also toured in Europe with Joplin’s original band, Big Brother and the Holding Company.

Post-Broadway, the show traveled through North America beginning in 2015, touring for seven years and making over 130 stops at cities including Toronto, Ontario, Los Angeles, California, Detroit, Michigan, St. Louis, Missouri, Austin, Texas, Atlanta, Georgia and more.

On August 23, 25 and 26 of 2022, the show traveled to Japan for three days of performances at the Tokyo International Forum Hall for an all-Japanese cast helmed by singer Aina the End playing the lead role of Janis Joplin.

In 2023, it was announced that the hit show would move to the West End for a limited-run at the Peacock Theatre in London from August 20 – September 28, 2024 with Mary Bridget Davies returning to star in the lead role.

Productions

 * March 25 – April 17, 2016: Opening Night March 31st (Previews – March 25,26, 29 & 30)
 * May 4 – May 20, 2018: Paige Mcnamara & Francesca Ferrari shared billing
 * May 3- June 24, 2018: Paige Mcnamara & Francesca Ferrari shared billing
 * September 14 – October 7, 2018: Marie Bridget Davies as lead
 * Shows from October 9, 2018 - October 28, 2018: Marie Bridget Davies as lead

Critical Response
The original Broadway production was met with exceptional reviews from publications like The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, ABC World News Now and more.

Variety Magazine wrote: “It’s a stunning celebration of the blues and those beautiful bruises they leave on a singer’s soul,” while USA Today called it “A dynamic, powerful musical journey back through the late 1960s. Janis Joplin is alive and well in this electrifying Broadway musical. The show features 26 musical numbers precisely paced throughout the show, each building more and more momentum and energy along the incredible journey that is A Night With Janis Joplin.”

The New York Times wrote that A Night with Janis Joplin “Rocks the house with a fervor that is riveting.”

David C. Nichols of the Los Angeles Times wrote: “In a cosmic collusion of persona and perception, this electrifying concert musical resurrects the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll with the sort of seismically sensational results normally encountered at stadiums and pop festivals... the premise is basic, unvarnished and supremely effective. Neither venue nor attendees may ever be the same.”

Characters
Included in the show are depictions of Janis Joplin as well as her musical influences: Chantel, Bessie Smith, Nina Simone, Odetta, Etta James and Aretha Franklin.

Director
A Night with Janis Joplin was written and directed by Randy Johnson who said of the show: “The remarkable thing about this production is that it has never felt like work. Through Janis and her story so many of our dreams have come true and it truly has been a joyful experience."

Producers
Producers of the original Broadway production include: Daniel Chilewich, Todd Gershwin, Michael Cohl, Jeffrey Jampol, TCG Entertainment LLC, Red Tail Entertainment, Stephen Tenenbaum, Richard Winkler, Michael J. Moritz Jr., Corey Brunish, Brisa Trinchero, Ginger Productions, Bill Ham, Claudio Loureiro, Keith Mardak, Ragovoy Entertainment LLC, Bob & Laurie Wolf. Neil Kahanovitz, Mike Stoller, Corky Hale Stroller, Darren P. Deverna, Susan DuBow, Tanya Grubich, Jeremiah J. Harris, Jerry Rosenberg, AJ Michaels, Herb Spivak, Red Awning (Executive Producer), and Nicole Kastrinos (Executive Producer).