Meet Mary Bridget Davies
“Woodstock ‘26” featuring Tony Award© Nominee Mary Bridget Davies
The Woodstock Music and Art Fair in 1969 has still proven to be the most seminal gathering of rock, blues and jazz fusion in popular music history, and countless outdoor festivals try to emulate this vibe every summer. With the help of Tony Award © Nominee Mary Bridget Davies, we celebrate the sounds of Sly, Santana and Janis as we create our own jazz infused Woodstock experience.
“Woodstock ‘26 – Sly, Santana, & Joplin”
featuring Tony Award© Nominee Mary Bridget Davies
Friday, May 1, 2026, 7:30 p.m.
Maltz Performing Arts Center
Before the show, get to learn a little more about Mary Bridget…
We are delighted to welcome Clevelander and Tony Award© Nominee Mary Bridget Davies to join us for an evening of groovy music, nostalgia and more!
Mary Bridget Davies is a distinguished American singer and actress who has etched her name in the annals of musical history with her powerhouse vocals and captivating performances. Renowned as a Tony Award© nominee for her lead role in A Night with Janis Joplin, Davies reprised her role in 2024 to glowing reviews in London's west end. Davies recently spoke with BBC Breakfast Newsalongside Janis Joplin's brother Michael Joplin about her West End debut.
After her critically acclaimed live album Freedom Of My Mind (Live at Power station), Davies' first compilation album Don't Compromise Yourself: The Very Best of Mary Bridget Davies was released on June 21st, 2024.
Album cover for: “Don’t Compromise Yourself: The Very Best of Mary Bridget Davies”
A Musical Background:
Born into the world of performance, Davies initially trained as a dancer before transitioning to singing and acting. Her journey began in the early 2000s when she started singing at blues jams in Cleveland. In 2005, she secured the lead role in a touring production of Love, Janis. She has also toured in Europe with Janis Joplin's original band, Big Brother and the Holding Company. A highlight of her career came with the lead role in A Night with Janis Joplin, earning her a Tony Award© nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Musical. This marked the beginning of a series of accolades, including a Helen Hayes Award nomination in 2013 and numerous Blues Blast Award nominations. She is also a winner of the 2014 LA Outer Critic’s Circle Award and 2014 Theater World Award.
In 2019, Davies recorded an album entitled Stay With Me: The Reimagined Songs of the late Jerry Ragovoy - legendary songwriter who co-wrote the Joplin classics “Piece Of My Heart” and “Cry Baby”. One of the featured songs on the album, on which her new album's title is based, is “Don't Compromise Yourself” - a song Mr. Ragovoy wrote for Janis Joplin, but due to her untimely death, she never had a chance to record it. Davies also recorded the acoustic version of the song on her latest album.
In 2022, Davies starred as Virginia Woolf in the developmental readings of A Room Of One’s Own, a play with original music at New York’s legendary cabaret 54 Below and The Public Theater’s Joe’s Pub. The original songs, written specifically for Davies by the award-winning TJ Armand and Mark Berman, are featured in her latest album, along with the unplugged versions of Janis Joplin classics.
In 2023, her hometown welcomed her back with the lead role as Narrator of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Beck Center for the Arts' sold-out production ended the year for Davies on a high note.
Davies starred in Don't Compromise Production's Women Who Rock You, which made its industry showcase debut at Public Theatre's Joe's Pub on June 30, 2025.
The Tony Award© nominee currently stars as Janis Joplin, in A Night with Janis Joplin, at Santa Barbara's Ensemble Theatre Company (Spring 2026), which she co-directed.
Mary Bridget Davies; photo credit: Caitlin McNaney
Beyond the stage, Mary Bridget Davies is a dedicated advocate for women's rights. As a single mother and caregiver, Davies draws from personal experiences, using her platform to champion women's voices. Her latest studio album was dedicated to her late sister Christine, lost to suicide in 2019. Davies’ career is a testament to resilience, passion, and an unwavering dedication to empowering women through her art.
Bio from Mary Bridget Davies website