NOTE: Just a reminder that this amazing show closes August 11th.
By Kyle Osborne
“One Night With Janis Joplin” is great. Two nights with Janis Joplin is even better.
The musical which garnered praise and admiration at Arena Stage last fall, has returned for a summer encore. Mary Bridget Davies stars as the legendary singer, and it’s hard to picture the show happening without her. Davies embodies the late Joplin in every imaginable way, but the singular reason you’ll be transported back in time is Davies’ voice which captures the soulful nuances that defined Joplin’s “white girl singin’ the blues” style.
The Kreeger Theatre at Arena ends up being the perfect venue for a show that is more concert than “play.” It gets loud, but not uncomfortable; it inspires audience participation, but not too much.
Here’s the review I wrote last October—it still stands. “One Night With Janis Joplin” is a euphoric, transformative experience. See it before it closes on August 11th.
http://www.examiner.com/review/theatre-review-one-night-with-janis-joplin-at-arena-stage