'A Night with Janis Joplin' celebrates rock legend
With her distinctive sound and raw, soulful style, Janis Joplin continues to fascinate and inspire more than 40 years after her untimely death. And with the current touring production of “A Night With Janis Joplin,” Tony Award nominee Mary Bridget Davies hopes to give audiences a glimpse of the musical legacy behind this true rock and roll legend.
“What I love about this show is that it’s a real celebration of her music,” Davies says. “This is not just a tribute show. I’m not an impersonator, I’m an actor. And there’s a great element of storytelling to it, as we look at all of the incredible women who shaped her sound — trailblazers like Odetta and Nina Simone. We have an amazing eight-piece band, and I’m sharing the stage with these super-talented women. It’s just a great celebration — uplifting and fun.”
It's a role that Davies seems born to play. The Cleveland, Ohio, native gained acclaim as a blues and rock vocalist, and later played Janis Joplin in the Off-Broadway musical, “Love, Janis.” She has even toured with Joplin’s original band, Big Brother & The Holding Company.
“I call them my rock and roll uncles — what an amazing experience. I got some serious inside scoop, and it was pretty cool to be cosmically in her shoes.”
But Davies says that her experiences as a working musician also help inform her performance as Joplin.
“I think that an actress who didn’t have that background would have a hard time understanding the grind of the road. I’ve been through all of that craziness — living off free hotel breakfasts, having the bus break down. I understand that on a personal level, and can plug those experiences into the show every night.”
And while life on the road can present its own challenges, Davies says she is always thrilled to return to Music City.
“I just love getting back to Nashville. I just played the City Winery back in October, which is a beautiful space. And I know Stacy (Mitchhart) at Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar, so any time I can go in there and jump up on the stage, I’m happy.”
Of course, Davies also is happy to be reprising the role that she played both off and on Broadway, earning a Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Musical in 2014.
“It’s such a rush, sort of a spiritual experience. Once I get that costume on, I’m so ready to go. But it’s a huge responsibility, too. We have people coming to the show that saw her perform years ago. And then, we have some that never got the chance to see her — so this is about as close as they’re ever going to get. So I take that very seriously. Years ago, when I first started portraying Janis, I said that the second I’m not enjoying it anymore, I’ll quit. Because anything less would be letting her down.”
Davies says that one of her favorite moments from the show is performing the song “Ball and Chain.”
“Like Janis, I’m a blues singer first,” she says. “And ‘Ball and Chain’ was a Big Mama Thornton song — I just love it. It happens about two-thirds of the way through the show. We’re in the home stretch, and at this point we’ve got the audience hooked, and I can just let it rip. There’s nothing better.”
If you go
What: Broadway at TPAC presents “A Night with Janis Joplin”
When: April 15 and 16. Performances at 8 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday.
Where: TPAC’s James K. Polk Theater, 505 Deaderick St., Nashville
Tickets: starting at $35
Contact: tpac.org; 615-782-4040 or www.anightwithjanisjoplin.com