One of the many reasons to see the Dallas stop of the bio-musical Love, Janis -- based on the book by Janis Joplin's sister Laura and conceived, adapted and directed by Randal Myler -- is for the audience.
Sure, Tuesday's opening-night audience included plenty of the typical Dallas Summer Musicals' (which presents the tour) subscribers and theater folk, but it was also brimming with disciples of '60s rock 'n' roll, some wearing hippie-era clothing and screaming and whooping throughout Mary Bridget Davies' dead-on impersonation of Janis.

Davies was so impressive, in fact, that a guy behind me yelled more than once "I love you, Janis!"
Dude, you know that's not really her, right?

Or was it? Although Davies and Janis are different physical types, Davies does the rock icon proud. She has the same raspy, bluesy voice and has obviously studied Janis' phrasing and vocal embellishments, not to mention her energy, stage movement and the way she works a microphone stand. (Davies alternates in the role with Katrina Chester, who gets the top billing in the playbill, so she must be at least as good.)

Between songs, actress Marisa Ryan does nonsinging duties, speaking from Janis' letters and chronicling her short career, from her early days as lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company, to her solo fame and on to her drug use and tragic death.
Ryan nails Janis' speaking accent and draggy-to-fast tempo. When she is interviewed by an offstage voice, both Ryan and Davies play off each other, portraying Janis at the same time. It's a device that works surprisingly well. Otherwise the back-and-forth from the singing to speaking Janis might have gotten monotonous.

As affecting and sad as Ryan is (turns out, Janis wanted to be a better singer and found it lonely at the top), it's the singing that'll take more than a piece of your heart. And Davies, backed by a killer five-member rock band, tears it up on a number of well-known songs, including Mercedes Benz, Try and Me and Bobby McGee. Although solid throughout, her finest performances were Down on Me and A Woman Left Lonely.

Indeed, we love you, Janis.