Porgy and Bess®

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)

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Porgy and Bess®

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    4w, 4m
  • Duration
    Duration
    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Adaptation (Literature), Adaptation (Stage & Screen), Period
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for All Audiences
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! 2012 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival
    Winner! 2012 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress
Porgy and Bess®
Also Available
Porgy and Bess® (2012 Broadway Version)

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.

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
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

Videos

  • "Bess, you is my woman now" - Metropolitan Opera youtube thumbnail

    "Bess, you is my woman now" - Metropolitan Opera

  • "My man's gone now" - Metropolitan Opera youtube thumbnail

    "My man's gone now" - Metropolitan Opera

  • "Leavin for the Promis' Lan'" - Metropolitan Opera youtube thumbnail

    "Leavin for the Promis' Lan'" - Metropolitan Opera

  • "Summertime" - Metropolitan Opera youtube thumbnail

    "Summertime" - Metropolitan Opera

Photos

  • Porgy and Bess®

    Image: 2018 English National Opera Production (Tristram Kenton)

  • Porgy and Bess®

    Image: 2018 English National Opera Production (Tristram Kenton)

  • Porgy and Bess®

    Image: 2018 English National Opera Production (Tristram Kenton)

  • Porgy and Bess®

    Image: 2018 English National Opera Production (Tristram Kenton)

  • Porgy and Bess®

    Image: © Justin “Squigs” Robertson

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Music

  • Musical Style Operetta
  • Dance Requirements Easy
  • Vocal DemandsDifficult
  • Orchestra Size Large, 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.

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Authors

George Gershwin

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 ...

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Author

DuBose Heyward

Author

Dorothy Heyward

Ira Gershwin

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 ...

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