Description
This is a beautiful playbill from the Pre-Broadway engagement of the innovative and controversial stage adaptation of the GEORGE GERSHWIN, IRA GERSHWIN and DU BOSE HEYWARD American Folk Opera "PORGY AND BESS" at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (The production opened August 17th, 2011 and played a limited engagement in preparation for the January 12th, 2012 opening at New York's Richard Rodgers Theatre where the show ran for 293 performances.) ..... The Original Broadway production opened October 10th, 1935 at the Alvin Theatre and ran for a disappointing 124 performances. Despite its early demise, this Gershwin masterwork remains one of the greatest of all American musicals and musical theatre scores. It wasn't until years later, after GEORGE GERSHWIN's untimely death at the age of 38 that the work received the acclamation it deserved ..... The A.R.T. revival starred NORM LEWIS as "Porgy", AUDRA McDONALD as "Bess", DAVID ALAN GRIER as "Sportin' Life" and PHILLIP BOYKIN as "Crown". Others in the cast included NIKKI RENEE DANIELS, NATASHA YVETTE WILLIAMS, CEDRIC NEAL, HEATHER HILL, JOSHUA HENRY, J. D. WEBSTER, NATHANIEL STAMPLEY, BRYONHA MARIE PARHAM, PHUMZILE SOJOLA, CHRISTOPHER INNVAR, JOSEPH DELLGER, ANDREA JONES-SOJOLA, ROOSEVELT ANDRE CREDIT, TREVON DAVIS, WILKIE FERGUSON, ALLISON BLACKWELL, ALICIA HALL MORAN and LISA NICOLE WILKERSON ..... CREDITS: Book by DU BOSE HEYWARD founded on the play "Porgy" by DU BOSE and DOROTHY HEYWARD; Music by GEORGE GERSHWIN ("Girl Crazy", "Lady, Be Good!", "Oh, Kay!", "Funny Face", "Rosalie", "Of Thee I Sing", "Porgy and Bess", "George White's Scandals"); Lyrics by DU BOSE HEYWARD and IRA GERSHWIN; Adapted by SUZAN-LORI PARKS and DIEDRE L. MURRAY; Sets designed by RICCARDO HERNANDEZ; Costumes designed by ESOSA; Choreographed by RONALD K. BROWN; Directed by DIANE PAULUS; Produced by THE AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER ..... DETAILS: The 64 page playbill measures 5 3/8" X 8 1/2" inches and includes full production credits, cast list, synopsis of scenes, list of musical numbers, bios of each of the actors and members of the creative team as well as individual head shots of each of the cast members. Also includes program notes, historical timeline of previous stagings of "Porgy and Bess" and an article on this production with two full color production photos ..... CONDITION: This playbill is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.
