The George Gershwin/DuBose Hayward theater classic, Porgy and Bess will
return to Broadway in a much-discussed revival. Set to star are Audra McDonald,
Norm Lewis and David Alan Grier among other notables in the cast. The play will
bow at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA next month before
hitting Broadway December 17th with an official opening January 12th of next
year at the Richard Rodgers Theater. From Shadow and Act's coverage below:
Pultizer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks’ (Topdog/Underdog) has teamed with Tony Award-nominated director Diane Paulus (Hair) to create this reworking.
”The Gershwin and Heyward estates have given us the charge to create a version of Porgy and Bess that will have a unique identity as a musical… I am delighted to be working with Suzan-Lori Parks on making the characters in the story more fully realized. With one of the most incredible scores ever written, we want to bring Porgy and Bess to life on the musical stage in a way that feels essential, immediate, and passionate,”” said Paulus.
And Suzan-Lori Parks added, “Our approach is fresh and respectful; we’re working to retain all the best-loved elements of the original while crafting a piece that speaks to contemporary audiences.”