Janis Joplin musical

[TheaterJunkie]

Posted: 8/29/06 at 3:08pm

I was wondering did anyone see the Janis Joplin musical in San Fransico? Did anyone like it?

[Amneris]

Posted: 8/29/06 at 3:52pm

go see it!!! Cathy Richardson is the best janis ever. she did it in NYC and will blow you away.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 8/29/06 at 4:29pm

I saw it and I agree with Amneris. I think I posted comments on the SF board when the show opended. The reviews have been pretty positive and Cathy Richardson was wonderful. It's at the Union Square booth so you can get a discount if you buy your tickets there.

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 8/29/06 at 5:34pm

I saw the show in Louisville, KY with Katrina Chester, who played Janis in the Off-Broadway run of the show. As long as you have a great singer playing Janis, this is a show you shouldn't miss.

[donna_darko_23]

Posted: 8/29/06 at 6:21pm

Janis must "it" right now...they are making a Janis Joplin film that is going to start filming soon.

[EugLoven]

Posted: 8/29/06 at 6:29pm

How perfect you should ask, given my San Francisco BWW.com review was just posted:

Review: Janis Joplin is Alive and Well and Living in SF
https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=11825

Thanks for reading and feedback.

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 8/29/06 at 6:33pm

Eug--Thanks for posting the link to your review. I'm glad to see that Katrina Chester does in fact alternate as Janis in the SF production. She is amazing!

[blueroses]

Posted: 8/29/06 at 6:39pm

"Janis must "it" right now...they are making a Janis Joplin film that is going to start filming soon."

I know. And I'n bummed because plans for Pink to star as Janis fell through. : ( I hear it's Zooey Deschanel now. I guess that's a step up from Zellweger, but still. Ah don't even get me started!

Too bad they won't go with an unknown (by Hollywood standards) like Orfeh.

[nickatnight]

Posted: 8/29/06 at 7:15pm

i was at opening night in san francisco and i truely loved the show. full of heart, full of fire. it was great to see that 'janis' had finally come home to the city she loved...

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 8/29/06 at 9:21pm

It was called Love, Janis.

I saw it here in NYC and it was great. Especially if you loved Janis.

"Oh, Lord, wontcha buy me a Mercedes Benz
My friends all drive Porches, I must make amends"

I can't remember which singer I saw perform it, but man, the woman can belt blues. She had an alternate, it's quite the vocal workout.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 8/30/06 at 9:38am

Orfeh was a revelation as Joplin. I cannot stress that enough. It was pure theater magic and should have been witnessed by all. I'm close enough to check out Richardson but I saw her a few times off B'way. The only people that pulled off Janis off B'way were the actual rock-n-roll singers, like Richardson, Beth Hart Orfeh etc... The show sank when they started "stunt casting" with the likes of Laura Branigan, and the power ranger (name escapes me at the moment). It was also NOT a good fit for the musical theater singers like Kristen Lee Kelly who was supposed to alternate with Orfeh but left after about her third show. Orfeh picked up the slack and was one of the only women who could handle more than the four show a week obligation.

And I agree, when the singer was right, the show was a must see. As for Orfeh and the bio-pic, I know Spheeris is aware of Orfeh but it's the type of movie that needs a bigger film star and Orfeh is still new to that world. It *would* IMO , make her a star but studios are VERY skittish about that sort of thing. I don't think Deschanel is big enough either, for that matter.
Updated On: 8/30/06 at 09:38 AM