The Dithering of a District Diva

Full Disclosure: I received tickets to review Porgy & Bess, and as always, the generosity had no impact on the integrity of my review.

The opera Porgy & Bess is an African American classic love story that has been performed on stages all over the world for nearly a century.  So when I had the opportunity to take my mother — a former opera singer in her heyday who absolutely loves Porgy & Bess– to see it for her birthday, I was thrilled.  Then, I read a New York Times‘ letter to the editor by legendary composer Stephen Sondeheim simply ripping the Broadway musical version, it’s re-writer, and it’s director to shreds.  His concerns that major plot lines in the opera had been tossed out in the musical in favor of a new vision, made me nervous to take my mother, and I braced for disappointment.

It was all for naught.  Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess was as moving, soulful, and wildly entertaining as I had hoped.  From the moment the orchestra began to play and Nikki Renee Daniels belted out the unmatched spiritual, “Summertime,” I was transfixed.  The ensemble cast moved and sang as one spirit, capturing the very soul of the people of Catfish Row.

“Private Practice” star, and Tony Award winning musical diva Audra McDonald stars as the complicated Bess, and can break your heart with a single verse.  Her voice is nothing short of God-sent. It will pierce through your thoughts and silence them. When she sings, the world is quiet, determined not to miss a note.  When her Bess begs Porgy, “Don’t let him take me! Don’t let him handle me and drive me mad,” it makes you want to forget all Bess has done, take her in your arms and reassure her that no harm will ever come to her.  And that’s exactly what Norm Lewis’ Porgy does.  Hearing Lewis’ striking baritone is like taking a stairwell down into Heaven: slow, deep, and well worth the journey. McDonald and Lewis were made to be in harmony, and their performances alone are enough to render you unwilling to move until you see how the story ends.

But fortunately, there is even more to see than the headliners of this production.  The breakout star is no-doubt David Alan Grier.  We all know he is hilarious, but who knew he could sing?!  As the scoundrel drug dealer Sportin’ Life, Grier stole every scene he was in. And when the audience booed him at curtain call, I hope he knows it was because he was that good at being bad.  And Bryonha Marie Parham’s rendition of “My Man’s Gone Now,” takes you to the very brink of death, stirring up within you every emotion you ever had at the passing of a loved one. From the genius lighting that cast haunting shadows on the impeccably detailed set design, to the breathtaking song by the woman selling strawberries, there are no weak links in this production.

I didn’t mind the rewrites, though I would not say that they made the story any more or less compelling.  It was just different, and if you’ve seen a previous version of the production, knowing that there are rewrites should be somewhat exciting, as you’ll relive the love story as if for the first time.  Since it was rewritten, however, why not take out the ridiculous molesting of Bess by Crown in the particularly hard to watch Kittiwah Island scene? Surely the audience would have understood that Crown had some kind of spiritual hold over Bess without all of that groping and rolling around on the floor.  I would have also removed the overused curse words. It’s Broadway, after all.

But overall, in Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess, Director Diane Paulus has stitched together true art that remains faithful to the spirit of the original and is a testament to respectful re-imagination. With all due respect to Sondeheim (who had not yet seen the production when he wrote his letter),  I loved it, my mother loved it, and you will too. Get a discount on tickets and watch a behind the scenes clip below:

ORDER NOW AND SAVE UP TO 35%
through February 26th, 2012

$89*
Orch/Front Mezz
(Reg. $137)

$69*
Rear Mezz, Rows A-F
(Reg. $87)

$49*
Rear Mezz, Rows G-H
(Reg. $67)

3 EASY WAYS TO ORDER:
Online: Visit http://www.ticketmaster.com/Gershwins-Porgy-and-Bess-tickets/artist/974187 and use code PBAR2
Phone: 877-250-2929 and use code PBAR2
Box Office: Bring a printout of this email to the Richard Rodgers Theatre Box Office, 226 W. 46th St.

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