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The spotlight was on Joni, and Julia made her shine By Peggy Dover Aug 21, 2022 12:15 AM A A “Yesterday a child came out to wonder Caught a dragonfly inside a jar Fearful when the sky was full of thunder And tearful at the falling of a star. — “The Circle Game” by Joni Mitchell Thank goodness some of Talent’s buildings were spared from the Almeda Fire in the fall of 2020. Dann Hauser, executive director at Camelot Theater, said the firefighters drew a line at their doorstep. Tall, dry weeds behind them had been cleared the day prior. Otherwise, I might never have seen and heard “Spotlight on Joni,” a tribute in song about the incredible painter (she would want this listed first), poet and songwriter who is Joni Mitchell. I’ve avoided spotlight performances assuming the singer wouldn’t sound like the original, and I’d feel the let-down. Though mimicking the musician’s voice isn’t always the intent, Julia Holden-Hunkins, who also wrote the script for Joni’s biographical information, is no disappointment. When we heard her begin with “All I Want,” to quote Joni’s “Chelsea Morning,” “the sun poured in like butterscotch and stuck to all my senses.” Julia’s dulcet voice filled the room with beautiful memories and two sets serving up a 22-song feast. During several of Joni’s classics and many I’d never heard, I closed my eyes and easily pictured Joni on stage. Julia nails her incredible and sudden range changes. With onstage help from her talented friends Kelly Jean Hammonds, Lauren Panter, Karl Iverson and Micah McCaw, Holden-Hunkins honored the lyrical poetry of the legend who is Joni Mitchell. Woodstock celebrated its 53rd anniversary the same weekend. Though Julia wasn’t around at the time, she asked the audience if anyone had been there. The Laurel Canyon phenomenon and Mitchell’s heyday happened way before her time. I wondered how this connection sparked and how it felt to represent someone who has come to mean so much to millions of fans. She agreed to an interview. “I started listening to Joni Mitchell on Spotify when they included her on the playlist based on what I was listening to,” she said. Julia’s musical leanings include a variety of styles. She loves listening to Broadway show tunes, folk and jazz. One day, when she was on a plane, Mitchell’s melancholy tune “Cactus Tree” began playing. “I started crying on the plane,” she said. A friend who had produced spotlights about other celebrities at Camelot suggested Julia put one together for Joni. Julia only began learning the guitar and a Virginia-made mountain dulcimer nine months ago expressly for this role. “Joni’s music is tuned so differently,” she said, referring to the experience as “that wild Joni world.” I asked if the adventure had affected her in some special way. “Yes, in a major way. I have so much respect for Joni and her artistry.” She shared how their rehearsal at Camelot coincided with Joni Mitchell’s recent reemergence at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island. Mitchell had performed there during the '60s, but hadn’t sung a full set for 20 years. Julia felt the connection. “I cried a lot, in a good way. I look up to her in so many ways.” Julia was born and raised in the Rogue Valley, performing on the Camelot stage since she was 9 years old. It’s where she met her future husband. She studied opera at St. Olaf College in Minnesota, then earned a BFA in theater from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. She also enjoys working with students in special education at Talent Middle School. Anyone who loves Mitchell’s music should not miss this show. Camelot’s tribute even appears on Joni’s website. Joni’s music made Julia cry, and Julia’s renditions brought tears to my eyes. A few performances remain through Aug. 28. “And the seasons, they go round and round And the painted ponies go up and down. We’re captive on the carousel of time. We can’t return we can only look Behind from where we came, And go round and round and round In the circle game.” Peggy Dover is a freelance writer/author. Reach her at [email protected].