This weekend, Peoria Players Theatre will present Remembering Janis Joplin, directed by Howard Gorman. This fundraiser for Peoria Players will touch upon just a portion of this artist’s amazing career. The show, written and conceived by Howard Gorman and Shannon Johnson, will highlight Janis’s life, starting in Port Arthur, Texas to her death in 1970 at the age of 27 years old. “Me and Bobby McGee,” “Little Girl Blue,” “Cry Baby” and of course, “Piece of My Heart” are just a few selections you’ll enjoy from her iconic song catalogue.
Janis was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, and she remains one of the top-selling musicians in the United States. Her profound influence on the music world is still heard in many of today’s artists. But we know, there is only one Janis.
Shannon Johnson stars in this production. Director Howard Gorman first met Shannon seven years ago in a karaoke bar. “She sang ‘Me and Bobby McGee.’ Being a huge fan of several of Janis Joplin’s songs, I was hooked. She had that soulful Janis sound, and what was better – she, too, was a fan.” Born in 1969, Shannon was introduced to the music of Janis at an early age by her mother, and she has been a huge fan ever since. Although this is Shannon’s first time on the Peoria Players stage, she is no newcomer to performing, as she is a member of the River City Blues Society. Lora Stone as Laura Joplin, Jared Coker as Michael Joplin, and Richard Diepenbrock on lead guitar – all solid, seasoned performers in their own right — round out the company of this unforgettable performance.
Join us Friday, July 22 and Saturday, July 23 at 7:30 pm. For tickets, visit peoriaplayers.org or call 309-688-4473.
Thank you to our generous sponsor, Peoria Chiropractic.