Porgy and Bess

a crippled black beggar, addicted to gambling, that takes things in stride regardless of his circumstances. Living in the slums of Charleston, South Carolina.

a struggling alcoholic and drug addict of no high character. She gets around and is with whoever meets her needs at the time. However, she was clean while raising Clara's baby. Crown's girl.

a gambler and drug dealer that everybody knows in town. Cynical about the world especially religion/Bible. He's the character that Bess leaves with.

a "bad" guy more or less who early on kills Robins. He keeps going back to Bess and does rape her. Porgy kills him when he goes back to Bess and tries to get her to come back to him.

Another younger married couple in Catfish Row. He is a fisherman. They die while on his boat in a hurricane.

Based off the novel "Porgy," 1926 by DuBose Heyward. Then "Porgy," 1927 play by Dorothy Heyward.

The name change was to differentiate from the play. Music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward.

Porgy who is a crippled black beggar falls in love with Bess, a partner of a dark evil man named Crown. Crown kills Robins and leaves town. Porgy and Bess move in together, Crown comes back to get Bess back and then Porgy kills him.

Bess then runs away to New York with her drug dealer. Porgy then goes to New York to get her back.

A recurrent theme throughout a musical or literary composition, associated with a particular person, idea, or situation. For instance with "Porgy and Bess," Porgy's theme = blue note and trumpet.

Focuses on the US elections, Platform of love.

Producer

Lyricist

Rhapsody in Blue; An American in Paris.

Writer

Catfish Row in Charleston, South Carolina.

The Theatre Guild

Director; called the Mad American; studied with the Moscow Art Theatre.

SummertimeIt aint necessarily soI got plenty of nothin