Photo by Mark Fronha
Milwaukee Rep's ‘Women of Rock’
Paris Bennett and Bridget Barkan in the Milwaukee Rep's ‘Women of Rock’
Women have always played a key role in development of rock music. But early on, it was typically behind the scenes and in the shadows of men in the spotlight. Women of Rock places just some of these trailblazers front and center in this musical revue.
With so much material to pull from, the show’s creator, the Milwaukee Rep’s artistic director, Mark Clements, has focused on some key moments that greatly influenced and, in some ways. changed the course of rock and roll.
The production features two multi-talented performers, Bridget Barkan and Paris Bennett—along with Katrien Van Riel on guitar and bass—performing a number of recognizable hits.
A highpoint comes early on in the show when both perform “hits” by Big Mama Thornton. But while the legendary blues and R&B singer and songwriter wrote and recorded “Hound Dog,” it was turned into a hit by Elvis Presley. (Case in point for women in the early days of rock: Thornton never received any royalties as a singer or songwriter for this hit).
Thornton fared better with her song made famous by Janis Joplin, “Ball and Chain.” Barkan gives an incredible blues rendering of this hit. It’s one of the production’s stand and at times, Barkan sounds eerily like the late blues rocker. And Bennett is just as impressive with her powerhouse vocals on the Aretha Franklin classic, “Respect.”
What clearly emerges in Women of Rock is how much men controlled the music—and the personal sacrifices women made to follow their dreams.
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Bennett performs The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” and it’s the story behind the song that tells the tragedy of one of that group’s best tunes. Background singer Merry Clayton was called in the middle of the night by the British band to add what would become of the most incredible background vocals in rock history. But the strain on her body at four months pregnant took its toll. The very next day, she miscarried and was unable to ever perform that song again.
Photo by Mark Fronha
Milwaukee Rep's ‘Women of Rock’
Katrien Van Riel in Milwaukee Rep's ‘Women of Rock’
And sometimes, as the two point out, singers end up in rock despite their genre. Barkan does a lovely acoustic version of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now”; Bennett a cover of “Jolene” by Dolly Parton, which was recently made popular again by Beyoncé on her latest Cowboy Carter collection.
Women of Rock is just as much about Barkan and Bennett’s careers as well as the women whose music they perform. And at times, the show loses its momentum as a result. But Women quickly gets back on track, and gets its groove back, when the singing starts up and the performers get down, as with Joan Jett’s “Bad Reputation.”
After all, girls just want to have fun. Women of Rock gets the party started because in the end, it’s only rock and roll. And we like that. Yes, we do!
Women of Rock runs through November 3 at the Stackner Cabaret, 108 E. Wells St. Running time: two hours, five minutes with a 20-minute intermission. For more information call the Rep Ticket Office at: 414-224-9490 or visit: milwaukeerep.com.
