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
+ Pre-Broadway Date City Venue May 24 – June 26, 2011 Portland, OR Portland Center Stage July 27 – August 19, 2012 Cleveland, OH The Allen Theatre at the Cleveland Playhouse September 28 – November 4, 2012 Washington DC Arena Stage March 15 – April 21, 2013 Los Angeles, CA Pasadena Playhouse May 3 – June 2, 2013 Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee Repertory Theater June 21 – August 11, 2013 Washington DC Arena Stage (second run in DC) July 10 – August 25, 2013 Austin, TX Zach’s Topfer Theatre September 5 – October 6, 2013 San Jose, CA San Jose Repertory Theater
+ Broadway Date City Venue September 20, 2013 – February 9, 2014 New York, NY Lyceum Theater (140 shows)
+ North America Tour Date City Venue July 21 – August 23, 2015 Los Angeles, CA Pasadena Playhouse (second run) February 9 - February 21, 2016 Toronto, ON Panasonic Theatre February 23, 2016 Hampton, VA The American Theatre February 24, 2016 Ridgefield, CT The Ridgefield Playhouse February 25, 2016 Morristown, NJ Mayo PAC February 26, 2016 New Bedford, MA Zeiterion PAC February 27, 2016 Lynn, MA The Lynn Auditorium February 28, 2016 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Theatre March 1, 2016 Reading, PA Santander PAC March 2, 2016 Cleveland, OH Palace Theatre March 3 - March 4th, 2016 Dayton, OH Victoria Theatre March 5, 2016 Detroit, MI Fox Theatre March 6, 2016 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theatre March 7, 2016 Cedar Rapids, IA Paramount Theatre March 9, 2016 Beaver Creek Vilar PAC March 10 - March 12, 2016 Fort Collins, CO Lincoln Center March 13, 2016 Rapid City, SD Rushmore Plaza March 15, 2016 Des Moines, IA Hoyt Sherman March 16, 2016 Wichita, KS Orpheum Arena March 17 - March 18, 2016 Fayetteville, AR Riverside Theatre March 19 - March 20, 2016 St. Louis, MO Peabody March 22 - March 27, 2016 Kansas City, MO Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland March 25 – April 17, 2016 Seattle, WA 5th Avenue Theatre (Second company)* March 29 - April 3, 2016 St. Paul, MN Ordway Center April 5 - April 10, 2016 Winnipeg, MB Burton Cummings April 11, 2016 Thunder Bay, ON Thunder Bay Community Aud. April 13, 2016 Cincinnati, OH Aronoff Center April 14, 2016 Durham, NC DPAC April 15 - April 16, 2016 Nashville, TN James K. Polk Theatre April 17, 2016 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre April 18, 2016 New Orleans, LA Saenger Theatre April 20, 2016 Daytona Beach, FL Peabody Auditorium April 21, 2016 Jacksonville, FL Florida Theatre April 22, 2016 St. Petersburg, FL Mahaffey Theatre April 23, 2016 West Palm Beach, FL Dreyfoos Hall April 24 , 2016 Charleston, SC Gillard Center July 8 - August 7, 2016 Albany, NY Capital Repertory Theatre (The rep) August 18 - September 10, 2016 Abingdon, VA Barter Theatre August 19 - September 18, 2016 Houston, TX Alley Theatre June 7 - July 16, 2017 San Francisco, CA American Conservatory Theatre August 16 - September 10, 2017 Laguna Beach, CA Laguna Playhouse October 10 - October 29, 2017 Princeton, NJ McCarter Theatre Center November 3, 2017 Orillia, ON Casinorama November 4, 2017 Windsor, ON Casino November 7, 2017 Columbus, OH Palace Theatre November 8, 2017 Louisville, KY Brown Theatre November 9, 2017 Cleveland, OH Conor Palace November 10, 2017 Rosemont, IL Rosemont Theatre November 11, 2017 Dixon, IL Historic Dixon Theatre November 12, 2017 Madison, WI Overture Center November 14, 2017 Huntington, WV Keith Albee November 15, 2017 York, PA Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Theatre November 16, 2017 Easton, PA State Theatre November 17, 2017 Derry, NH Stockbridge Theatre November 18, 2017 Springfield, MA Symphony Hall November 19, 2017 North Bethesda, MD Strathmore Theater January 8, 2018 Sarasota, FL Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall January 9, 2018 The Villages, FL Sharon Morse PAC January 10, 2018 St. Petersburg, FL The Mahaffey January 13, 2018 Ft. Pierce, FL Sunrise Theatre January 14, 2018 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Parker Playhouse January 17, 2018 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Theatre January 18, 2018 Williamsport, PA Community Theatre January 19 - January 20, 2018 Boston, MA Boch Center January 23, 2018 Fort Worth, TX Bass Hall January 24, 2018 San Antonio, TX Tobin Center for the Performing Arts January 25, 2018 Orange, TX Lutcher Theatre January 26, 2018 Richardson, TX Eisemann Center for Performing Arts January 27, 2018 Midland, TX Wagner Noel January 28, 2018 Amarillo, TX Globe News Center January 30, 2018 Mankato, MN Verizon Wireless Center January 31, 2018 Fairfield, IA Sondheim Center February 1, 2018 Wichita, KS Orpheum February 2, 2018 Colorado Springs, CO Pikes Peak Center February 3, 2018 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre February 6, 2018 Tucson, AZ Fox Theatre February 7 - February 8, 2018 San Diego, CA Balboa Theatre February 9, 2018 Indio, CA Fantasy Springs Resort February 11, 2018 Portland, OR Keller Auditorium February 13, 2018 Bremerton, WA Admiral Theatre February 14, 2018 Spokane, WA INB Event Center February 15, 2018 Bellingham, WA Mt. Baker Theatre February 17, 2018 Beverly Hills, CA Saban Theatre February 18, 2018 Redding, CA Redding Civic Center May 4 – May 20, 2018 Raleigh, NC A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater (21 shows)* May 3- June 24, 2018 Ivoryton, CT Ivoryton Playhouse (20 shows)* September 14 – October 7, 2018 La Mirada, CA La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts* October 9, 2018 Visalia, CA Visalia Fox Theatre October 10, 2018 Merced, CA The Art Kamangar Center at the Merced Theatre October 11, 2018 San Rafael, CA Marin Center October 16, 2018 Walnut Creek, CA Lesher Center For the Arts Hofmann Theatre October 17, 2018 Monterey, CA Golden State Theatre October 19, 2018 Redwood City, CA Fox Theatre October 20, 2018 Stockton, CA Bob Hope Theatre October 21, 2018 Santa Cruz, CA Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium October 23, 2018 San Francisco, CA The Warfield October 24, 2018 Yountville, CA Napa Valley Performing Arts Center October 25, 2018 Fresno, CA Saroyan Theatre October 26, 2018 Bakersfield, CA The Bakersfield Fox Theatre October 27, 2018 Santa Barbara, CA Arlington Theater October 28, 2018 Escondido, CA California Center for the Arts September 13, 2019 Beverly, MA The Cabot September 14, 2019 Beverly, MA The Cabot September 15, 2019 Worcester, MA Hanover Theatre September 17, 2019 Lebanon, NH Lebanon Opera House September 18, 2019 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Center for the Arts September 19, 2019 Morristown, NJ Mayo Performing Arts Center September 20, 2019 New London, CT Garde Arts Center September 21, 2019 Kingston, NY Ulster Performing Arts Center September 22, 2019 Tarrytown, NY Tarrytown Music Hall September 24, 2019 Philadelphia, PA Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts September 25, 2019 Washington, DC Warner Theatre September 26, 2019 Greensburg, PA The Palace Theatre September 27, 2019 Lorain, OH Lorain Palace September 28, 2019 Van Wert, OH Niswonger PAC September 29, 2019 Detroit, MI Fox Theatre September 30, 2019 Pikeville, KY East Kentucky Expo Center October 1, 2019 Cincinnati, OH Aronoff Center October 3, 2019 Cedar Rapids, IA Paramount Theatre October 4, 2019 Champaign, IL Virginia Theatre October 5, 2019 Waukegan, IL (Chicago) Genesee Theatre October 6, 2019 Prior Lake, MN Mystic Lake Casino October 7, 2019 Joliet, IL Rialto Square Theatre October 8 - October 9, 2019 St. Louis, MO Stifel Theatre October 10, 2019 Richmond, KY EKU Center for the Arts October 12, 2019 Overland Park, KS Yardley Hall October 13, 2019 Sioux Falls, SD Orpheum Theater Center October 15, 2019 Santa Rosa, CA Luther Burbank Center October 16, 2019 San Jose, CA Center for the Performing Arts October 17, 2019 Pasadena, CA The Rose October 18, 2019 Beverly Hills, CA The Saban October 20, 2019 San Diego, CA Balboa Theatre January 29 – March 8, 2020 Austin, TX Zach Theatre May 13 – May 29, 2022 New Orleans, LA Le Petit Theatre 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
+ Japanese Tour Date City Venue August 23, 25 & 26, 2022 Tokyo, Japan Tokyo International Forum Hall A
+ West End Date City Venue August 20 – September 28, 2024 London, UK Peacock Theatre, London
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.
Awards & Nominations