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I went in not sure what to expect. After all, I was born nearly two decades after Janis Joplin died and I did not grow up with her music. Then, the show blew me away. The show is really a concert, although to call it a tribute concert would to sell it short. It took me a couple of songs to "sink" into it, but at the first two notes of Imani Ani's operatic Porgy & Bess version of Summertime, chills ran down my spine and I was completely bought in to the whole thing. It's as if the spirit of Janis Joplin inhabited the body of Mary Bridget Davis to relive the joy of performing on stage while speaking intimately to the audience and to her musical influences-- Bessie Smith, Nina Simone, Odetta, the Chantels, and Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. In fact, it's almost as much a tribute to these influences as much as it a tribute to Joplin herself. I don't know how similar this concert feels to being at one of her concerts back in the 60s, but it certainly feels like I could have been transported back in time. Or maybe it's the concert that Joplin is holding up in heaven -- one in which she is completely in her element and singing together with her idols. Mary Bridget Jones is just absolutely spectacular as Joplin -- she's got an easy charm where you completely believe she is Joplin performing a concert, building a rapport with the audience, and exuding the pure joy of an artist doing what she loves. Honestly, everyone -- every singer and each member of the band -- is fantastic and they pour their hearts out. There's so much emotion in every song that you can't help but get swept away with it all too. By the end of both the first half and then again at the end of the show, the entire audience was standing up, clapping and jamming to the music. I didn't grow up with Janis Joplin's music, but I loved this show. Don't expect a play; expect a concert. Then go home and listen to the music of every singer featured. So, a HUGE thank you to Yelp to providing me with two free tickets - I might never have thought to see this show otherwise! And if you did grow up with Joplin, I imagine you'll love it even more. I was slightly jealous of the older folks in the audience who really, really got into it, connecting with something from their past I wonder if they, for the night, instantly became 50 years younger.
I have been a huge Janis fan since I was in my early teens I tell people all the time that I was born in the wrong decade, that I should have been a teen in the 60s/70s. I saw the tickets come up for Yelp Elite members and I JUMPED on the opportunity to get them. My husband was like "great, just what I wanted to do on my Friday night (in a eeyore type voice). I didn't let his lack of enthusiasm deter me for one second! I was ready to go and see the show! We got to the Zach right on time and heard the bells tellinG is the show would be delayed at least 30 minutes. It worked well for me because now I had time to buy a Janis T-shirt and some wine before the show. The bells chimed again and in we went. We had great seats - I don't think there's a bad on in the house. The show started. It. Was. AWESOME!!! I learned so much about Janis that I didn't before and I called myself a huge fan. The singers and band members were all phenomenal! The bassist looked and played like he came directly from a "real" Janis show. I loved watching him play. Man, seeing this show and how well each cast member portrayed the singers was incredible. Janis had all the moves right, the raspy voice down and her singing!!! Oh My God! I will be going back again with a group of friends who can't wait to see it. My husband actually saId he wouldn't mind going back because it was so good!
This was the first live show that I've ever attended that started over 30 minutes late. But the Zach theatre was very communicative about that with announcements and they have the bar open in the lobby before the show started. I like Janis Joplin but I wouldn't say I'm a huge fan. Regardless, the show was great! The costumes were period perfect and the music was fantastic. I really enjoyed it. Many people in the audience wore their flower power, so you totally should and get up and dance along withe the tunes you love! There's not a bad seat in the house so you can't go wrong.
Thank you Yelp for an amazing show. I liked Janis' music and was delighted to see this show. I loved the story line and learned a lot about her from the show, as I do come from Europe and didnt know as much cultural details about her and her world. The main actress performing Janis Joplin was amazing as well as the one performing Aretha Franklin. My favorite song was "Spirit in the Dark" with these two power voices that closed up the first Act. A couple negatives and why I gave a 4 star rating. First, the show I attended was delayed by 30 min due to technical issues. No more communication was provided. We were not even sure it will start on time after the delay but it did. The second is about the show itself. It had lots of amazing songs and connecting pieces that were done awesomely, however there were quite a few weaker transitions between pieces or from talking to singing. Weaker transitions did stand out as other pieces worked so well together. I definitely would recommend this show and the theater to anybody I k ow!
Wow. What a great show!! A Night with Janis Joplin was so much more than I expected. It was just as much of a tribute to Janis as it was to the ahhmazing women who inspired her. I was expecting a lot of 70's blues and folk tunes but got a show packed with soulful, powerful, energetic performances from personifications of Nina Simone, Etta James, Bethie Smith, The Chantels, Odete and Aretha Franklin. This show was absolutely packed with soulful, emotion-driven belting. It was outstanding. The musical is presented as a Janis Joplin concert with a band of hippies behind her. She plays her hits; popular songs like "Summertime", "Me and Bobby McGee", "Mercedes Benz" and my favorite "Piece of my Heart". In between these time-enduring songs she reminisces about her childhood, her start in music, and the women who influenced her. Personifications of these women grace the stage with their own songs spanning the 20's-70's. The show alludes to Janis's tragic and untimely overdose, which we can assume is just around the corner, but doesn't go too much into it to be a downer. Leslie Mcdonal, the understudy for Janis, was perforMing tonight and DAMN she was good. I make it a point to see 3 or 4 Broadway shows a year, either here in Austin or in New York. I've seen shows on Broadway in New York and been very ambivalent and even discouraging when recommending it to friends. The high prices and elite status of these types of shows make me want to be incredibly critical. I say this because to me, a show needs to really be special to be worth such a high price. That being said... I was blown away by this production. Every single singer in the show stole the stage. As a 30 year old, I was definitely the youngest person in the crowd but I had a blast. I would go see it again in a heartbeat. My tickets were graciously provided by Yelp
I was soooo excited to be an honored recipient of complimentary Yelp tickets for this show, which DID actually feel like a night with Janis, especially with the original "Janis" from Broadway as the Lead. What a tremendous voice she has, with the ability to belt out Janis' songs with such soul. The back-up singers were fabulous as well. I loved every minute. Janis has always been close to my heart, as a fellow Texan and Longhorn. I always think of her when I eat at Threadgill's (where she had some of her early stage time) so it was exciting to hear it mentioned in the performance. I do wish, however, that they had delved a bit more into the hardships she endured growing up that shaped how why she thought so lowly of herself (which I'm sure explains, too, how heartfelt her songs were). I met a guy who knew Janis from back in her UT days who told me that as a cruel joke, the frat boys publicly voted her "best looking guy" at UT. If you ever read the book written by her sister, there are more tales from her high school years (not pretty) that definitely explain how she came to feel about herself (not good) and how that could've lead to her downfall with drugs and her death at such a young age (besides it just being part of that era). Anyways, I digress. Go see the show! After being in that theater, I think every seat is a good one, so don't be dissuaded if "the seat you wanted" is taken. The doors open early if you'd like to have a drink (full bar) or snack before the show (at HH prices), and they had a young singer to fill the time as well. They have a cool convenience, too--you can purchase drinks before the show and they will be ready and waiting for you at intermission at a separate table, so no waiting!
First off, what an honor to see this show at the start of its run! Also, I love seeing shows at Zach theatre. For one thing, I love the ease of parking at Zach and while it costs $10 to park, it's worth it to park so close to the theatre. Zach has a great bar with food and spirits and wonderful live entertainment in the lobby prior to the show. The seats are stadium seats so wherever you sit is a great seat. This show has a stellar cast with superb voices backed by a killer band. The actor playing Janis Joplin WAS Janis... there are not enough superlatives to capture just how incredible her performance was. I look forward to seeing the show again and highly recommend it. I will say I have always liked Janis but was only familiar with her hits. But I left this show a fan of Janis, grateful for the opportunity to experience her music and her story and I look forward to diving deeper into her catalog. My friend who saw the show with me also loved it!
What a wonderful night at The ZACH Theater! This was my first time ever attending a show at The ZACH and I was thoroughly impressed with the venue and the show. I had the opportunity from Yelp as a Yelp Elite member to experience the show on their behalf. I have always been a Janis fan but did not know her entire backstory until this night. I learned so much about Janis, her inspirations, and her success. Mary Bridget Davis embodies Janis so well, I was thoroughly impressed. The entire cast was extensively talented in singing and acting. The show also became so interactive, with encouraging the audience to dance and sing, just like a regular concert. I had a wonderful time! read more
7 years ago
Do not miss this production about Texas' own Janis Joplin! The cast, band, and crew area absolutely phenomenal and has put a lot of love and soul into this show. You will sing, clap, and even get up and dance to all the songs and numbers that move you and let me tell you - they ALL do! Don't be afraid to get up and dance it out. People in front and behind you are most likely doing the same thing and/or thinking about it. Fine crowd tonight to where I felt like I was being electrified with some good soul, rhythm, and blues tunes. The singers and band played off the crowd's energy and delivered an amazing show. Loved the great biography as the show played on highlighting Janis Joplins raising, background, touring, and life. Paired with images of her family and the dramatic lighting you are really taken back to 60's-70's as Janis found her voice in her music journey. Grab a drink at the bar and check out the small photo booth in the main concession area as it's free. Also expect a 20 min intermission so go to the lobby and stretch your legs. Parking was super easy and free along Riverside Dr. by Lady Bird Lake and in the lot past the theater. read more
Im thankful that Yelp provided these tickets to see Janis Joplin at Zach Theatre. The show was great! It had a little bit of everything like humor and different singers singing songs from great artists like Aretha Franklin & Nina Simone. It was a good storyline about Janis and the people that inspired and influenced her in her music career. There was a little delay before the show due to technical difficulties but they managed to get it resolved and started a half an hour late. This show was definitely worth coming out to see and the seats are all great at Zach so its a win win. I love the shows they have a zach theatre and Janis Joplin is a great show. read more
7 years ago
I went in not sure what to expect. After all, I was born nearly two decades after Janis Joplin died and I did not grow up with her music. Then, the show blew me away. The show is really a concert, although to call it a tribute concert would to sell it short. It took me a couple of songs to "sink" into it, but at the first two notes of Imani Ani's operatic Porgy & Bess version of Summertime, chills ran down my spine and I was completely bought in to the whole thing. It's as if the spirit of Janis Joplin inhabited the body of Mary Bridget Davis to relive the joy of performing on stage while speaking intimately to the audience and to her musical influences-- Bessie Smith, Nina Simone, Odetta, the Chantels, and Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. In fact, it's almost as much a tribute to these influences as much as it a tribute to Joplin herself. I don't know how similar this concert feels to being at one of her concerts back in the 60s, but it certainly feels like I could have been transported back in time. Or maybe it's the concert that Joplin is holding up in heaven -- one in which she is completely in her element and singing together with her idols. Mary Bridget Jones is just absolutely spectacular as Joplin -- she's got an easy charm where you completely believe she is Joplin performing a concert, building a rapport with the audience, and exuding the pure joy of an artist doing what she loves. Honestly, everyone -- every singer and each member of the band -- is fantastic and they pour their hearts out. There's so much emotion in every song that you can't help but get swept away with it all too. By the end of both the first half and then again at the end of the show, the entire audience was standing up, clapping and jamming to the music. I didn't grow up with Janis Joplin's music, but I loved this show. Don't expect a play; expect a concert. Then go home and listen to the music of every singer featured. So, a HUGE thank you to Yelp to providing me with two free tickets - I might never have thought to see this show otherwise! And if you did grow up with Joplin, I imagine you'll love it even more. I was slightly jealous of the older folks in the audience who really, really got into it, connecting with something from their past I wonder if they, for the night, instantly became 50 years younger. read more
I have been a huge Janis fan since I was in my early teens I tell people all the time that I was born in the wrong decade, that I should have been a teen in the 60s/70s. I saw the tickets come up for Yelp Elite members and I JUMPED on the opportunity to get them. My husband was like "great, just what I wanted to do on my Friday night (in a eeyore type voice). I didn't let his lack of enthusiasm deter me for one second! I was ready to go and see the show! We got to the Zach right on time and heard the bells tellinG is the show would be delayed at least 30 minutes. It worked well for me because now I had time to buy a Janis T-shirt and some wine before the show. The bells chimed again and in we went. We had great seats - I don't think there's a bad on in the house. The show started. It. Was. AWESOME!!! I learned so much about Janis that I didn't before and I called myself a huge fan. The singers and band members were all phenomenal! The bassist looked and played like he came directly from a "real" Janis show. I loved watching him play. Man, seeing this show and how well each cast member portrayed the singers was incredible. Janis had all the moves right, the raspy voice down and her singing!!! Oh My God! I will be going back again with a group of friends who can't wait to see it. My husband actually saId he wouldn't mind going back because it was so good! read more
This was the first live show that I've ever attended that started over 30 minutes late. But the Zach theatre was very communicative about that with announcements and they have the bar open in the lobby before the show started. I like Janis Joplin but I wouldn't say I'm a huge fan. Regardless, the show was great! The costumes were period perfect and the music was fantastic. I really enjoyed it. Many people in the audience wore their flower power, so you totally should and get up and dance along withe the tunes you love! There's not a bad seat in the house so you can't go wrong. read more
7 years ago
Thank you Yelp for an amazing show. I liked Janis' music and was delighted to see this show. I loved the story line and learned a lot about her from the show, as I do come from Europe and didnt know as much cultural details about her and her world. The main actress performing Janis Joplin was amazing as well as the one performing Aretha Franklin. My favorite song was "Spirit in the Dark" with these two power voices that closed up the first Act. A couple negatives and why I gave a 4 star rating. First, the show I attended was delayed by 30 min due to technical issues. No more communication was provided. We were not even sure it will start on time after the delay but it did. The second is about the show itself. It had lots of amazing songs and connecting pieces that were done awesomely, however there were quite a few weaker transitions between pieces or from talking to singing. Weaker transitions did stand out as other pieces worked so well together. I definitely would recommend this show and the theater to anybody I k ow! read more
Wow. What a great show!! A Night with Janis Joplin was so much more than I expected. It was just as much of a tribute to Janis as it was to the ahhmazing women who inspired her. I was expecting a lot of 70's blues and folk tunes but got a show packed with soulful, powerful, energetic performances from personifications of Nina Simone, Etta James, Bethie Smith, The Chantels, Odete and Aretha Franklin. This show was absolutely packed with soulful, emotion-driven belting. It was outstanding. The musical is presented as a Janis Joplin concert with a band of hippies behind her. She plays her hits; popular songs like "Summertime", "Me and Bobby McGee", "Mercedes Benz" and my favorite "Piece of my Heart". In between these time-enduring songs she reminisces about her childhood, her start in music, and the women who influenced her. Personifications of these women grace the stage with their own songs spanning the 20's-70's. The show alludes to Janis's tragic and untimely overdose, which we can assume is just around the corner, but doesn't go too much into it to be a downer. Leslie Mcdonal, the understudy for Janis, was perforMing tonight and DAMN she was good. I make it a point to see 3 or 4 Broadway shows a year, either here in Austin or in New York. I've seen shows on Broadway in New York and been very ambivalent and even discouraging when recommending it to friends. The high prices and elite status of these types of shows make me want to be incredibly critical. I say this because to me, a show needs to really be special to be worth such a high price. That being said... I was blown away by this production. Every single singer in the show stole the stage. As a 30 year old, I was definitely the youngest person in the crowd but I had a blast. I would go see it again in a heartbeat. My tickets were graciously provided by Yelp read more
I was soooo excited to be an honored recipient of complimentary Yelp tickets for this show, which DID actually feel like a night with Janis, especially with the original "Janis" from Broadway as the Lead. What a tremendous voice she has, with the ability to belt out Janis' songs with such soul. The back-up singers were fabulous as well. I loved every minute. Janis has always been close to my heart, as a fellow Texan and Longhorn. I always think of her when I eat at Threadgill's (where she had some of her early stage time) so it was exciting to hear it mentioned in the performance. I do wish, however, that they had delved a bit more into the hardships she endured growing up that shaped how why she thought so lowly of herself (which I'm sure explains, too, how heartfelt her songs were). I met a guy who knew Janis from back in her UT days who told me that as a cruel joke, the frat boys publicly voted her "best looking guy" at UT. If you ever read the book written by her sister, there are more tales from her high school years (not pretty) that definitely explain how she came to feel about herself (not good) and how that could've lead to her downfall with drugs and her death at such a young age (besides it just being part of that era). Anyways, I digress. Go see the show! After being in that theater, I think every seat is a good one, so don't be dissuaded if "the seat you wanted" is taken. The doors open early if you'd like to have a drink (full bar) or snack before the show (at HH prices), and they had a young singer to fill the time as well. They have a cool convenience, too--you can purchase drinks before the show and they will be ready and waiting for you at intermission at a separate table, so no waiting! read more
7 years ago
First off, what an honor to see this show at the start of its run! Also, I love seeing shows at Zach theatre. For one thing, I love the ease of parking at Zach and while it costs $10 to park, it's worth it to park so close to the theatre. Zach has a great bar with food and spirits and wonderful live entertainment in the lobby prior to the show. The seats are stadium seats so wherever you sit is a great seat. This show has a stellar cast with superb voices backed by a killer band. The actor playing Janis Joplin WAS Janis... there are not enough superlatives to capture just how incredible her performance was. I look forward to seeing the show again and highly recommend it. I will say I have always liked Janis but was only familiar with her hits. But I left this show a fan of Janis, grateful for the opportunity to experience her music and her story and I look forward to diving deeper into her catalog. My friend who saw the show with me also loved it! read more
This is isn't my first time coming here, and it certainly will not be my last. I was super excited to get the opportunity to go see Janis Joplin! We did have to pay for parking, which I wasn't too happy about. But it was definitely worth it, we did get pretty good parking and didn't have to walk far. Getting the tickets was super easy and the line moved super fast. The show was delayed, which we didn't mind. They had live music and two bars on both sides to order drinks. Lines were long of course, but it wasn't that bad. Drinks are a tad overpriced, but I expected that. Theater was large and the seats were perfect. We sat towards the middle row, with plenty of leg room. Show was amazing and just the perfect length of time. It did start late, but definitely worth the wait. Amazing show, and definitely worth seeing for yourself! read more
7 years ago
