Wed. June 1, 2011
By John Olson
Is George Gershwin's masterpiece an opera, as he labeled it, or a sung-through musical? Is its story a patronizingly paternalistic portrait of African Americans in 1925 Charleston, South Carolina, or an historic advance, for its time, in depicting this group as more than servile caricatures? Chicago's Court Theatre—whose specialties include both downsized re-imaginings of American musical classics and highly regarded productions of African-American-themed plays—is a most logical company to tackle these questions. They've done so boldly, with a conceptual approach that may not be acceptable to the strictest of Gershwin purists, but should satisfy most lovers of this piece and add to their understanding of it.
Todd M. Kryger, a tenor/baritone who has done mainly musical theater, has a gorgeous and expressive voice and, though he's a little weak in his lower register on some of the recitatives, he sounds great on the arias and creates a strong and sensitive Porgy. Alexis J. Rogers, a music theater vet with operatic training, deftly handles the more operatic demands of Bess, playing the character more innocently than most interpretations of the party girl and drug addict who is rescued by Porgy.
Newell's direction further has the actors play with a sense of dignity. There are no broad caricatures that would reinforce stereotypes. Maria and Serena are deeply religious and protective of their little community. Sportin' Life is no comedian or entertainer, but a drug dealer with some sex appeal—as controlling and dangerous in his own way as Crown is through violence.
This production edits the piece down to a tight two hours and 15 minutes of stage time, with one intermission between the opera's act one and act two. Except for the musical sections mentioned in the previous paragraph, the cuts are generally not noticeable. Some minor characters have been eliminated or combined (Frazier, Scipio, Detective, Undertaker, the policemen and Nelson) and in a few places recitative has been changed to spoken dialogue to speed things along.
The trade-offs of this version pay off. The majesty of the full orchestrations is exchanged for an increased clarity in the lyrics and in the supporting characters. In this intimate setting and with fewer people on stage, we're more able to follow and connect with the likes of Serena, Maria, Jake and even Mingo. This allows us to see their relationships to the title characters, and gain a better sense of Catfish Row as a community. The supportive family these residents provide for each other is an aspect of Porgy and Bess that is often forgotten in discussions of the piece, but it comes through clearly here.
Though the Court's production is by design not a complete performance of the massive score, lovers of this opera can enjoy it as a variation that may increase their appreciation of the text. Newcomers to Porgy and Bess will be treated to a great introduction to this opera that is not performed as frequently as it should be, though that may change. The Court, Newell and Peck have done Gershwin and Porgy lovers an additional service by showing how satisfyingly it can be performed in smaller houses with just a fraction of the singers and musicians that would be expected in the opera world.
Porgy and Bess will be performed through July 3, 2011, at the Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago. For ticket information, visit the box office; call 773-753-4472 or visit www.courttheatre.org.
Photo: Bethany Thomas (center) and company (by Michael Brosilow)
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