‘One Night With Janis Joplin’: The ultimate icon of the rock ‘n’ roll era

“One Night With Janis Joplin” with another cast is previewing on Broadway as we speak. San Jose Rep’s bombastic production recreates some of Joplin’s best moments delivered by the amazing talent of Kacee Clanton, who channels Joplin with eerie accuracy. Her voice comes across so raw and powerful and is so similar to Joplin’s that you are transported to the ’60s when she reigned as queen of rock ‘n’ roll and brought her spot-on interpretations of this type of music. She delivers with no holds barred with one earthshaking song after another.
Randy Johnson – who wrote and directed the production – takes us on a journey. Joplin’s childhood and smatterings of her life are interposed with her belting out the famous list of songs, which the audience soaks up with the vigor of a new sponge.
The theatre vibrates as she starts with “My Baby” moving on to a moving rendition of “Summertime” on to “Piece Of My Heart,” “Cry Baby,” “Try (Just A little Bit Harder),” and, of course, “Mercedes Benz.” This is just a few of the 20-plus songs delivered full bore as Clanton swaggers around the stage, swigging on bottles of booze conveniently placed around the stage. Very little is referred to her addictions or her early death at 27 from drugs. She delivers each number with such intensity and drive that one wonders if her voice can hold out for the next act, let alone the next day. It does and she does.
Tiffany Mann joins Clanton in some blues and soul music with Mann as Bessie Smith, Etta Johnson, Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin – Joplin’s inspiration.
The back-up band is well choreographed and keeps attention and three gals billed as the Joplinaires (Cari Hutson, Tricky Jones and Shinnerrie Jackson) underscore well without taking away from the sound or staging.
The most interesting part of the evening was the audience. Most aged 50 through 70 were reliving the time, moving with the beat, stomping feet and completely lost in the time and place.
“One Night with Janis Joplin” is the story of an icon that, even though from Texas, became a part of the rock ‘n’ roll culture of San Francisco. If you ever enjoyed Janis Joplin, this is the opportunity to relive that time with her.
Kacee Clanton will be joining the New York production to alternate as Joplin.
Camille Bounds is the theatre and arts editor for Sunrise Publications.
Where: San Jose Rep, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose 
When: 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays
Through: Oct. 6
Details: (408) 367-7255 or visit www.sjrep.com