Broadway came to the
Cabot last night with
A Night with Janis Joplin and it was better than great. Janis' spirit and voice took over the body of
Mary Bridget Davies. Incredible. The show centers around
Joplin telling stories of the singers who inspired her – from
Bessie Smith,
Odetta,
The Chantels,
Etta James and
Aretha Franklin to
Nina Simone. The four women who played these roles received many standing Os but what blew everyone away was the voice of Davies. My favorite scene was the character of
Janis talking about cleaning the house with her siblings every Saturday while her mom blasted Broadway albums. These tunes influenced Janis deeply –
Summertime from
Porgy and Bess being one of them. She would then channel Joplin, belting out her renditions. If you're a
Janis Joplin fan, you will loooooooove this show. Everything about it is fantastic: the performances, the band and the set with a balcony from where the "inspirations" sang. Prepare to be awed.
