Billy Porter - "Porgy and Bess"

[ChgoTheatreGuy]

Posted: 9/23/19 at 7:18pm

Now that Billy Poster is only an Oscar away from becoming an EGOT, does anybody think that he could win an Oscar from playing either the lead or Sportin' Life in a film remake of "Porgy and Bess".  I know that sad story about the making of the original film with Dorothy Dandridge and Sidney Poitier, but there are a lot of African-American actors and actresses that could make this remake amazing!...

[joevitus]

Posted: 9/23/19 at 7:36pm

I think it's too controversial. Was it Cynthia Haymon who felt such antagonism about being cast as Bess? Also there are the dumb changes (would it be right to call it PC) so often introduced, like not having Porgy ride a goat cart, though in fact the story is based on a documented historical figure (Samuel Smalls) who in fact used a goat cart, and tried to evade the police in it--the newspaper story about which inspired the novel (in which that scene is recreated) that in turn inspired the play and opera. 

Love this show, and there are so many great recordings (Original Cast, Columbia studio recording, Houston Grand Opera). But filmed opera usually doesn't work very well, anyway. Maybe best to listen to those recordings and see the movie you create in your mind. 

[viagalactica6]

Posted: 9/23/19 at 7:41pm

First of all there is the hurdle of getting past the Gershwin estate for a remake of Porgy and Bess. There will be a new production that opens tonight at the Metropolitan Opera House in NYC that is planning a tv broadcast of the opera - not the musical - Porgy and Bess and i think that that is more in line with what the Gershwin estate is envisioning right now.

No disrepect for Billy Porter and his talents but I think that the greatest Sportin' Life of this generation is Damon Evans who used to be Lionel on the tv series The Jeffersons. He actually sang the role and turned it into something more than a mere song and dance character. Get the Glyndebourne Opera DVD and check him out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh5ijrsHx5Q

Updated On: 9/24/19 at 07:41 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 9/23/19 at 8:05pm

There are plenty of other roles for Billy Porter to play that could garner him an Oscar.

A film of Porgy and Bess would basically be Netflix/Amazon giving a $30mil++ blank check to someone like Ava Duvernay or Barry Jenkins or Steve McQueen to adapt an incredibly niche property. Porter might not even be at the top of the wishlist –– there are a lot of other guys (John Legend, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, etc) who mean a lot more than he does and would be almost as good.

But that's all a digression because this would never, ever happen.

[AC126748]

Posted: 9/23/19 at 9:05pm

Porter actually auditioned for Sportin’ Life in the last Broadway revival but lost out to David Alan Grier (who was terrific).

Updated On: 9/23/19 at 09:05 PM

[Valentina3]

Posted: 9/23/19 at 11:47pm

Billy would be fantastic in a Kinky Boots musical remake. Wing be surprised if we see that down the line. Also - La Cage musical, opposite Jake Gyllenhal.