A TAMS-WITMARK TITLE
Porgy and Bess®
Full-Length Musical, Drama / 4w, 4m
George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward, Dorothy Heyward, Ira Gershwin
by George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward and Ira Gershwin
George Gershwin's final work for the musical stage is universally acknowledged as a masterpiece and the first American Folk Opera.
Image: 2018 English National Opera Production (Tristram Kenton)
-
Cast Size
4w, 4m -
Duration
More than 120 minutes (2 hours) -
Subgenre
Adaptation (Literature), Adaptation (Stage & Screen), Period -
Target Audience
Adult
Accolades
Winner! 2012 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival
Winner! 2012 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress
Details
Summary
Known worldwide as a masterpiece and an "American Folk Opera,” Porgy and Bess® was George Gershwin’s final work for the musical stage. Based on DuBose and Dorothy Heyward’s play Porgy, Porgy and Bess® combines elements of jazz, classical, and American folk music. Musical numbers include "Summertime," "A Woman Is a Sometime Thing," "My Man’s Gone Now," "I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’," "It Ain’t Necessarily So," "Bess, You Is My Woman Now," and "I'm On My Way."
History
Porgy and Bess® is one of the greatest achievements of the American Musical Theatre. It was first presented at the Alvin Theatre in New York in 1935, and has been presented throughout the world, including at the Metropolitan Opera in the 1984-85 season. The opera has been presented on Broadway several times, most recently in 2012, featuring Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis.
Cast Attributes
Keywords
Performing Groups
- Time Period 1930s
- Setting
Charleston, South Carolina. The early 1930s. Catfish Row and Kittiwah Island.
- Features Period Costumes
- Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
- Cautions
- Drugs
Media
Videos
"Bess, you is my woman now" - Metropolitan Opera
-
"My man's gone now" - Metropolitan Opera
-
"Leavin for the Promis' Lan'" - Metropolitan Opera
-
"Summertime" - Metropolitan Opera
Photos
Image: 2018 English National Opera Production (Tristram Kenton)
Image: 2018 English National Opera Production (Tristram Kenton)
Image: 2018 English National Opera Production (Tristram Kenton)
Image: 2018 English National Opera Production (Tristram Kenton)
Image: © Justin “Squigs” Robertson
Music
- Musical Style Operetta
- Dance Requirements Easy
- Vocal DemandsDifficult
- Orchestra Size X-Large
- Chorus Size Large
Licensing & Materials
- Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.
PLEASE BE ADVISED: There are multiple versions of this title. Before you proceed, please double-check to ensure that you are applying for the version you want. We will not be able to refund rental or shipping fees if you pay for the wrong version. If you’re not sure which version best suits your needs, you may purchase a perusal for each available version.
Music Rentals
Authors
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was born in Brooklyn on September 26, 1898, and began his musical training when he was 13. At 16, he quit high school to work as a "song plugger" for a music publisher, and soon he was writing songs himself. "Swanee," as introduced by Al Jolson, brought George ...
DuBose Heyward
Dorothy Heyward
Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin, the first songwriter to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize, was born in New York City on December 6, 1896. In 1917 The Evening Sun published his first song (“You May Throw All The Rice You Desire But Please, Friends, Throw No Shoes”). Four years later, Ira enjoyed hi ...
Now Playing
Related
Keywords
Related Titles
An American in Paris
Multiple Authors
Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy 4w, 5m plus ensembleMarie Christine
Michael John LaChiusa
Full-Length Musical, Drama 10w, 6m, 2boy(s)Show Boat (1927)
Multiple Authors
Full-Length Musical, Drama 8w, 9m, 1girl(s)
