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Overview
Synopsis
Porgy and Bess tells the story of the unshakeable love between Porgy, a crippled beggar, and Bess, a beautiful woman haunted by the demons of her past. The tight-knit African-American community of Catfish Row is shocked when Crown, Bess’ brutal, violent lover, murders Robbins during a craps game. Left with no one amongst people who look down on her, Bess is taken in by the kind Porgy. As their love grows, Bess seems finally free from her past as the two look to spend a long, happy life together. When Crown returns, Porgy and Bess’ relationship is put in peril, as Crown seeks to exert his control over her once more. Porgy and Bess was the final stage work of composer George Gershwin. A combination of opera, jazz, folk, and spirituals, this legendary and heartfelt opera is largely regarded as one of the finest American musical works of the 20th century.
Show Information
- Music
- George Gershwin
- Based On Book By
- DuBose Heyward
- Libretto
- Ira Gershwin , DuBose Heyward
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- Porgy 1927 play
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1935
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Period, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- Catfish Row, Charleston, South Carolina, 1930s
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- Optional
- Licensor
- Tams Witmark Music Library
- Ideal For
- College/University, Diverse Cast, Large Cast, Professional Opera, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female, Star Vehicle Male, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Child, Early Teen, Late Teen, Mature Adult, Elderly Characters
Context
Porgy and Bess is based on Porgy, a 1927 play by DuBose and Dorothy Heyward. The play was adapted from DuBose’s novel of the same name, which was inspired by a news story. After reading Porgy in 1926, George Gershwin proposed a collaboration with Heyward to create an operatic version of the story. The pair began work on the opera in 1934, beginning with a visit to the story’s backdrop and Heyward’s birthplace ― Charleston, South Carolina. Gershwin composed both in South Carolina and New
to read the context for Porgy and Bess and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Author’s Note: Porgy and Bess can staged as an opera or a musical theatre show. In staging the musical, the action may be slightly condensed, in accordance with Gershwin’s edited version of the show that was performed on Broadway, or other modern adaptations. For the purposes of this guide, Porgy and Bess will be summarized in full, as would be presented in an operatic staging.
ACT ONE
It’s a hot summer night in Catfish Row, a small, waterfront tenement in Charleston, South
to read the plot for Porgy and Bess and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
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Lead |
Male |
Bass-Baritone |
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Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
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Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
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Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
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Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
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Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
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Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
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|
Supporting |
Female |
Alto |
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|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
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Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
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Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
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Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
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Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
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Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
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Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
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Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
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Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
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Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
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Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
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Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
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Featured |
Male |
Silent |
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Featured |
Male |
Treble/Boy Soprano |
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Featured |
Male |
Silent |
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Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
Songs
ACT ONE
- “Summertime” - Clara
- “Roll Dem Bones” - Mingo, Sportin’ Life, Jake, Robbins, Jim, Crap Shooters
- “A Woman Is a Sometime Thing” - Jake, Sportin’ Life, Ensemble
- “Porgy’s Entrance” - Ensemble
- “Crap Game” - Ensemble
- “The Killing of Robbins” - Ensemble
- “Gone, Gone, Gone” - Ensemble
- “Overflow” - Ensemble
- “My Man’s Gone Now” - Serena
- “Leaving for the Promised Land” - Bess, Ensemble
ACT TWO
- “It Takes a Long Pull to Get There” - Jake, Fishermen
- “I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’” - Porgy, Ensemble
- “I Hates Yo’ Struttin’ Style” - Maria
- “Picnics Is All Right…” - Sportin’ Life, Bess
- “Bess, You Is My Woman Now” - Porgy
- “Oh, I Can’t Sit Down” - Ensemble
- “I Got Plenty O' Nuttin' (Reprise)” - Porgy
- “I Ain’t Got No Shame” - Ensemble
- “It Ain’t Necessarily So” - Sportin’ Life, Ensemble
- “Shame On All You Sinners!” - Serena
- “What You Want With Bess?” - Bess, Crown
- “Oh, Doctor Jesus” - Serena, Peter, Porgy, Maria
- “Vendors Trio” - Strawberry Woman, Peter the Honeyman, Crab Man
- “I Was Powerful Sick” - Bess, Porgy
- “I Loves You Porgy” - Porgy, Bess
- “Oh, Doctor Jesus (Reprise)” - Ensemble
- “Summertime (Reprise)” - Clara
- “Oh, There’s Somebody Knocking at the Door” - Peter, Mingo, Maria, Ensemble
- “A Red Headed Woman” - Crown
ACT THREE
- “Clara Don’t You Be Downhearted” - Women
- “Summertime (Reprise)” - Bess
- “There’s a Boat Dat’s Leavin’ Soon for New York” - Sportin’ Life
- “Bess, Oh Where’s My Bess?” - Porgy, Maria, Serena
- “Oh Lord, I’m on My Way” - Porgy, Ensemble
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
The states in the most southern and eastern part of the U.S.A.
Genre of music inspired by oral traditions and often without a specific composer, sharing stories of national or cultural identity. Folk music is regional and found worldwide.
A genre of music developed especially from ragtime and blues and characterized by syncopated rhythms, complex chords, elements of improvisation, and distortions of pitch and timbre.
A production designed especially to show off the talents of a particular performer.
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