Broadway Records just announced the release of the Original Broadway Cast Recording of the critically acclaimed, A NIGHT WITH Janis Joplin on the occasion of the iconic musician's birthday celebration. The album will be available digitally on January 17, and the CD is currently available at the Lyceum Theatre. The album is also available for pre-orders at Amazon.com and the official show website.
The 19-song album is anchored by
Mary Bridget Davies' high-octane performance of Joplin's iconic hit songs. The New York Times gushes, saying Davies "captures the Joplin sound perfectly and keeps the house rocking, rocketing through at least a dozen of Joplin's best-known songs, and singing them with a throbbing fervor that is often riveting." The original Broadway cast recording also features music from Joplin's greatest musical influences including
Aretha Franklin,
Etta James, Odetta,
Nina Simone and
Bessie Smith.
In the spirit of the original musical, the cast recording defies Broadway conventions. Recorded in New York City on October 21, 2013, the album was produced by
Russ Titelman, Todd Gershwin,
Daniel Chilewich,
Michael Cohl and
Carl Casella. Titelman has, over the course of his 50 year career, recorded with Dusty Springfield, Captain Beefheart and
BrIan Wilson and produced albums by The Allman Brothers Band,
Eric Clapton,
Paul Simon and many more.
The cast recording also marks the World Premiere of "I'm Gonna Rock My Way to Heaven," a song legendary writer and producer
Jerry Ragovoy wrote for Joplin just prior to her death in 1970. Ragovoy, who had never allowed the song to be released prior to A NIGHT WITH
Janis Joplin, was in the audience for its stage premiere with his wife, Bev Ragovoy, opening night in Portland, Oregon in 2011, just one month before his own death. Ms. Ragovoy, who carries on his musical legacy, was ecstatic that the recording of this song was finally realized.
"A NIGHT WITH
Janis Joplin is all about unbelievable performances of Janis' legendary songs and her musical influences," said producer Dan Chilewich, who also serves as producer of the Broadway musical. "Russ was able to capture the blood, sweat and tears that Mary gives the audience each night on Broadway. It's the best way I can think of to honor this legendary performer."
Like a comet that burns far too brightly to last,
Janis Joplin (portrayed by
Mary Bridget Davies) exploded onto the music scene in 1967 and, almost overnight, became the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll. The unmistakable voice filled with raw emotion and tinged with Southern Comfort made her a must-see headliner from Monterey to Woodstock. A NIGHT WITH
Janis Joplin is a musical journey celebrating Janis and her biggest musical influences - trailblazers like
Aretha Franklin,
Etta James, Odetta,
Nina Simone and
Bessie Smith, who inspired one of Rock 'n' Roll's greatest legends. A NIGHT WITH
Janis Joplin opened on Thursday, October 10th at Broadway's Lyceum Theatre to rave reviews and audience adoration. The creative team for
A Night With Janis Joplin features writer and director
Randy Johnson(Elvis The Concert), recent Astaire Award-winning choreographer
Patricia Wilcox (Motown), set and lighting designer
Justin Townsend (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Bloody Bloody
Andrew Jackson), costume designer
Amy Clark (Chaplin), sound designer
Carl Casella (Relatively Speaking), projection designer
Darrel Maloney (American Idiot), music director
Ross Seligman (regional touring production of One Night With
Janis Joplin which toured numerous cities across the country prior to coming to Broadway), and original music director and arranger
Len Rhodes (
Mike Tyson's The Undisputed Truth in Las Vegas).
The opening night cast, also featured on the cast album, includes
Mary Bridget Davies reprising her role as
Janis Joplin,
Taprena Michelle Augustine (The Book of Mormon), Tony Award nominee De'Adre Aziza (Passing Strange),
Nikki Kimbrough (Dreamgirls) and Alison Blackwell (The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess), who will be playing the various roles of Joplin's iconic female singers who influenced her music and also as her backup singers, "The Joplinaires". They are joined in the production by
NaTasha Yvette Williams (The Color Purple), now on stage as
Aretha Franklin,
Kacee Clanton (One Night with
Janis Joplin regionally) as
Janis Joplin alternate,
Allison Blackwell (currently appearing as Joplinaire swing) and
Alison Cusano (One Night with
Janis Joplin regionally) as Joplinaire swing and
Janis Joplin understudy.
A NIGHT WITH
Janis Joplin is produced on Broadway by
Daniel Chilewich, Todd Gershwin,
Michael Cohl,
Jeffrey Jampol,
TCG Entertainment,
Stephen Tenenbaum,
Michael J. Moritz Jr./Brunish & Trinchero,
Richard Winkler, Ginger Productions,
Bill Ham,
Claudio Loureiro,
Keith Mardak, Ragovoy Entertainment, Bob and Laurie Wolfe/Neil Kahanovitz,
Jerry Rosenberg/A
J Michaels,
Mike Stoller &
Corky Hale Stoller,
Darren P. DeVerna,
Susan DuBow,
Tanya Grubich,
Jeremiah H. Harris, and
Herb Spivak. The musical is also presented in association with The Estate of
Janis Joplin and
Jeffrey Jampol for JAM, Inc.
