Just back from the first preview of PORGY AND BESS....

[timote316]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 12:41am

Overall, very enjoyable. I wasn't familiar with the original opera at all going in, so I can't fully compare the new production to it, but to this P&G "newbie", it was a good time. McDonald and Lewis were sensational, as was expected. Very good supporting cast, too.

I did have a problem with portions of the adaptation from an opera to a musical, however. At times, it seemed like some portions that would work in an opera needed to be scaled back a bit. It's almost as if the show is trapped in a sort of no man's land between an opera and a musical. I'm going to hope and assume that will be addressed as the preview period goes on.

And I must say... I'm glad Norm Lewis has found a score to sing that is 100% worthy of his glorious voice. Us baritone fans deserve it after THE LITTLE MERMAID.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 12:44am

How was the physical production? From the pictures it looks rather dull and boring, but maybe it's just the pictures.

[timote316]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 12:55am

It worked. The pictures don't do the show justice, really.

[VernonGersch]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 1:08am

looking forward to seeing this and like timote 316 - not familiar with the oprea, in the least bit...amazing cast and talented director have me itching to see this

the pics i saw def made the production seem intimate and not over produced - just thoughtfuly designed. not familiar with the space at ART - i've only been there once, over ten years ago...

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 1:12am

Get to the points, if you please...
1. Did Summertime wake the baby?
2. How happy was the ending?

Spoilers allowed.

[timote316]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 1:19am

1. It was a real baby, and he was awake the whole song, captivated by the conductor. According to the program, it was one of NaTasha Yvette Williams's twin boys. Cute, but distracting to be honest.

And since SPOILERS were requested....
2. I wouldn't call it a happy ending, really. I read a synopsis of the original ending... and it's not drastically different. Bess doesn't leave Porgy exactly, she's effectively kicked out of the town. The show ends with Porgy venturing out to join her. To me, the ending used is much more effective for the characters.
Updated On: 8/18/11 at 01:19 AM

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 7:29am

Ohh... oh, dear.

...

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 9:28am

Really? We need a real baby now?

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 9:45am

Thanks TImote! I've always expected this hype about a happy ending was merely spin and that the ending would prove, if anything, merely a nuance of an alteration toward optimism. Creative teams often spin things out of control to distinguish what they are doing from past productions. As I've said before, how often have we heard that a new production of Carousel will finally emphasize the dark qualities of a show that has always worn its pathos on its sleeve.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 9:57am

henrik, do you not find that change to the ending to be significant?

Also, will they release the twins' performance schedules for anyone who would like to see both of them?

[whatever2]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 9:59am

well, the baby thing is newsworthy, but more to the point regarding "summertime": did they in fact make the changes previously indicated (i.e., taking it down a couple of octaves and using an accordion)? if so, how'd it work?

thx!!!

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 10:01am

RE: P&B, opera or musical. This debate goes back to the original production, to which the Times sent both their drama critic and music critic. The film version definitely presented it as a musical. Guess you might say that it's a musical with too much music or an opera with too much dialogue. It's still a masterpiece, no matter which way you slice it.

[timote316]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 10:53am

re: Summertime.... I'm listening to a recording of the song now, and it did seem a bit lower, but certainly not a couple octaves. It showed off Nicki Renee Daniels' lovely soprano voice, that much is for sure. As for an accordion, I didn't notice, but there is one listed in the program.

[pushdabutton]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 12:23pm

I'm going to see this in a couple of weeks. Thanks for posting your review timote316.

[jlbpr00]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 1:28pm

I was there last night as well and this was my very first exposure to Porgy and Bess. Heard about it about it, but was not familar with the music. I am a bit confused about the ending compared to the orginal. For the most part I enjoyed the perforement and my favorite was when Bess confronts the southern woman as country b**tches. Made my night.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 2:31pm

I guess I am surprised by the number of admissions of "not being familiar" with "Porgy and Bess." To me, that's like not being familiar with "Hamlet".

No criticism or judgment of any individual intended, believe me. Guess I am just getting way old.

[greensgreens]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 2:41pm

What's "Hamlet"? Is that the prequel or sequel to Wicked?

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 4:42pm

"henrik, do you not find that change to the ending to be significant?"

I haven't seen the new production and don't know exactly what the ending is, even on paper, let alone how it plays.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 4:58pm

Even if the change proves significant, I'm not sure that's fatal. I'm keeping an open mind. How could I possibly know how I'll feel about it (even Sondheim had to concede that he couldn't be sure how he'll react to the finished product)?

It's ironic that "the theater! the theater!" which understandably delighted in the change that Lerner, Loewe and Hart gave to Shaw's famous and cherished ending to "Pygmalion" has to condemn the change that Paulus and Parks are now giving to Heyward and the Gershwins' famous and cherished ending to "Porgy and Bess," before we've even seen the damn thing!

And no, in this case, I don't find the fact that one is altering a play for its musical adaptation while the other is altering an opera for a new production thereof to be significant.

I'm not saying that I'll like what they've done. I'm merely saying that I will wait and see how I will feel about it.

[timote316]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 4:59pm

SPOILERS... the new ending.

Sporting Life sings of the boat to NY and how it'll be a better life for Bess, but Bess rejects him. Sporting Life insists she think about it, gives her the money for the boat and some happy dust (which she flat out refuses, but he forces into her pocket book). Porgy returns from prison, finds the happy dust, and accuses Bess of returning to her old ways. The people of Catfish Row side with Porgy, and she flees from the town (referring to the townspeople as "country bitches", as jlbpr00 referenced). When the townspeople all but celebrate, Porgy realizes how happy Bess made him, so he too leaves, taking off to find his Bess once more.

I only know the original ending from a synopsis I read, but to me, this ending is much more... fulfilling.

[jlbpr00]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 6:15pm

BTW. The picture I have as my profile is the curtain for the show.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 8:09pm

Total speculation on my part, but this new ending, as described, sounds like a star performer was worried her character wasn't sufficiently sympathetic.

Again "as decribed", all the new ending does is take all the responsibility away from Bess. Sportin' Life forces money on her; she's not to blame. Sportin' Life forces drugs on her; she's not to blame. Porgy and the townspeople reject her; again and still, she's not to blame.

I don't think this is a crisis in Western civilization. It's just the sort of shallow whitewash of a character that is often demanded by movie stars who want to play melodrama heros instead of complex tragic characters.

I can't help but notice the irony that after all the talk about cardboard characters, this ending seems to make Bess less complex rather than more.

Again, total speculation on my part. Ms. MacDonald may have had nothing to do with it. But I kind of doubt that.

[malletgirl02]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 9:58pm

"Country bitches"? That line and the ending overall sound like a Taylor Perry movie.

[sondhead]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 10:37pm

"I only know the original ending from a synopsis I read, but to me, this ending is much more... fulfilling."


I don't know. The original ending has proved to be pretty fulfilling over the years. It makes me sob every time I've seen it, and generally I'm not the only one with that response.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 10:45pm

Aw c'mon. She doesn't really say "Country bitchez"...does she?