Jukebox musicals, with few exceptions, are not known for their intricate plots or dramatic surprises. They exist to provide their audiences with musical comfort food. Case in point, the Sonoma Arts Live production of A Night with Janis Joplin. The show is heading into its closing weekend on the Rotary Stage in Andrews Hall at the Sonoma Community Center.
Folks expecting to hear much about Joplin’s life will find the show lacking. It offers snippets of her upbringing and family life and references her musical influences and her blossoming as a performer. The drug and alcohol abuse that ultimately killed her is dismissed via a few sentences and an ever present bottle of whiskey on stage. It shouldn’t be surprising given the approval of the Joplin Estate of the development of this show. Joplin’s Wikipedia entry provides more info than this show’s book.
But, oh, the music…