AMERICAN PLAYHOUSE {GREAT PERFORMANCES}: THE GERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS (TV)
Summary
One in this dramatic anthology series on the performing arts. This production is an adaptation of the 1935 opera by George and Ira Gershwin, based on the novel and play by DuBose Heyward and depicting the lives of the black inhabitants of the fictional Catfish Row in 1920s South Carolina. The story begins as the people of Catfish Row spend their day working, dancing and caring for their families, and Clara sings to her baby about the hot "Summertime." The men "Roll Them Bones" and play craps, and Robbins waves off his wife Serena's request that he abstain from gambling. Jim decides that he is done with hauling cotton and will join Jake on his fishing boat, and Jake tries to soothe his fussy baby with the knowledge that "A Woman is a Sometime Thing." Porgy, a disabled beggar, arrives in their midst and joins the game, and tough dockworker Crown arrives with local "hussy" Bess. The "God-fearing ladies" express disapproval as Crown and Bess drink and gamble, and Crown buys some "happy dust" from Sportin' Life and becomes more inebriated. Soon only Crown and Robbins are left in the craps game, and they begin to fight as everyone watches nervously. Crown finally kills Robbins with Jim's cotton hook, and when Bess tells Crown that he must flee, he vows to come back for her when it is safe. Sportin' Life invites Bess to escape to New York City with him and she turns him down, but then finds that no one in town will give her refuge—no one except for Porgy.
Later, everyone mourns the fact that Robbins is "Gone, Gone, Gone," and everyone contributes to a collection for his burial fee, hoping that the saucer will "Overflow." Porgy and Bess arrive together and Serena's friends assure her that the Lord will provide, but a white detective arrives in their midst and orders them to bury Robbins by the following day or else his body will be claimed by medical students. He then accuses Peter of the murder, and though everyone swears to Crown's guilt, he has Peter locked up as a witness. Serena laments that "My Man's Gone Now" and begs the undertaker to bury him, promising to pay him the full fee eventually. Robbins is carried out as Bess and the others declare that he is "Leaving For the Promised Land." A month later, Jake heads out to work at sea, though "It Takes A Long Pull to Get There" and Clara is worried about incumbent storms. Porgy declares that "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'," but is happy with Bess in his life. Sportin' Life continues peddling his drugs, though he is stopped by an angry Maria. Frazier, a lawyer, arrives and offers Bess a divorce for one dollar, attempting to charge more when she admits that she never married Crown, and Porgy pays the money to make their relationship "official." A white lawyer, Archdale, tells Porgy that Peter will soon be free, and scolds Frazier for his scam. Bess rejects Sportin' Life as he makes advances on her again, and Porgy defends her, then declaring that "Bess, You Is My Woman Now." Everyone prepares to head off to the picnic on nearby Kittiwah Island, and though Bess offers to stay behind with Porgy, he urges her to go and enjoy herself.
On the island, everyone relaxes and celebrates, and Sportin' Life talks about the Bible and its unrealistic stories, suggesting that "It Ain't Necessarily So," much to Serena's indignation. As they prepare to head home, Bess is shocked to encounter Crown, who has been hiding out there since Robbins' murder. She asks him "What You Want With Bess?" and tells him that she is living a "decent" life with Porgy now, but he reminds her that he intended to come back for her and forcefully rekindles their relationship, and she is left behind with him as the boat returns to Catfish Row. A week later, Jake and the other fisherman head out to sea, unafraid of a coming storm, and Bess stays in bed, delirious with fever from her encounter with Crown. Peter returns from jail, and Serena offers to pray to "Oh, Doctor Jesus" for Bess, promising that she will be well within the day. As Porgy waits, several vendors stroll through Catfish Row with their wares, and Bess does indeed recover in the afternoon. Porgy explains that she has been ill and she tells him that Crown is surely coming for her soon. He tells her that he will not stop her if she truly wants to be with Crown, but she declares that "I Loves You, Porgy" and wants to stay with him forever. Clara waits nervously on the wharf for Jake, and everyone panics and takes refuge inside when the hurricane bell sounds. They sing and pray to drown out the storm, and Bess and Porgy privately speculate that Crown cannot possibly survive on Kittiwah Island. Crown then shows up, however, boasting that God favors him and demanding that Bess return to him, ignoring her protests that she loves Porgy. Clara then spots Jake's boat floating empty and rushes outside in a panic, first giving her baby to Bess, and Crown follows her, determined to prove himself as a man.
Later, everyone surveys the storm damage and mourns those who died, including Jake and Clara. Sportin' Life mocks the proceedings, however, hinting that Crown is not really dead and Bess still has two men. As Bess tends to Clara's baby, Crown sneaks back into Catfish Row, spotted only by Porgy, who attacks and finally kills him as Sportin' Life watches, declaring that Bess "got a man now." The detective and the coroner return and interrogate Serena, believing that she killed Crown for murdering her husband, but her friends swear that she has been sick in bed. They next question Porgy, telling him that he must come and identify the body, and Porgy is frightened when Sportin' Life tells him that a corpse will bleed in its murderer's presence. Porgy is hauled off, and Sportin' Life flirts with Bess, again offering her drugs and urging her to leave with him, saying that "There's a Boat That's Leavin' Soon for New York." A week later, Porgy returns to Catfish Row, explaining that he refused to look at Crown's body and won money gambling with his cellmates, and he happily presents his friends with gifts and reveals a beautiful red dress for Bess. Everyone is uncomfortable when he asks "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?", and the women eventually admit that Bess left with Sportin' Life for New York. Porgy is crushed, but vows to go after her despite his friends' protests, and heads determinedly off on the thousand-mile journey to find his true love.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: October 6, 1993 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:01:30
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:30139
- GENRE: Musical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Musical; Opera
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1981-
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Chubb insurance companies
- TV - Commercials - Duracell batteries
- TV - Promos - "Porgy and Bess" home video
- TV - Promos - "Porgy and Bess" soundtrack album
CREDITS
- Richard Price … Executive Producer
- Dennis Marks … Executive Producer
- Mary Kouba … Executive Producer
- Jac Venza … Executive Producer
- Andrew Little … Executive Producer
- Lindsay Law … Executive Producer
- Greg Smith … Producer
- Stephany Marks … Producer
- David Murray … Audio Producer
- Trevor Nunn … Director
- DuBose Heyward … Based on the novel by, Lyrics, Librettist
- Yves Baigneres … Adapted by
- George Gershwin … Music by
- Ira Gershwin … Lyrics
- Simon Rattle … Conductor
- Charles Augins … Choreographer
- The London Philharmonic … Symphony Orchestra
- Steve Agyei … Dancer
- Bruce Leader … Dancer
- Willard White … Cast, Porgy
- Cynthia Haymon … Cast, Bess
- Gregg Baker … Cast, Crown
- Cynthia Clarey … Cast, Serena
- Marietta Simpson … Cast, Maria
- Damon Evans … Cast, Sportin' Life
- Paula Ingram … Cast, Clara
- Gordon Hawkins … Cast, Jake
- D. Alonzo Washington … Cast, Robbins
- Mervin Wallace … Cast, Peter
- Barrington Coleman … Cast, Mingo
- William B. Johnson … Cast, Frazier
- Camellia Johnson … Cast, Strawberry Woman
- Colenton Freeman … Cast, Nelson/Crabman
- Yolanda Grant … Cast, Annie
- Maureen Braithwaite … Cast, Lily
- Curtis Watson … Cast, Jim
- Autris Page … Cast, Undertaker
- Linda Thompson … Cast, Neighbour
- Andrez Harriott … Cast, Scipio
- Wayne Marshall … Cast, Jasbo
- Alan Tilvern … Cast, Detective
- Ted Maynard … Cast, Mr. Archdale
- Billy J. Mitchell … Cast, Coroner
- Ron Travis … Cast, Policeman
- Bruce Hubbard … Cast, Singer, Jake
- Harolyn Blackwell … Cast, Singer, Clara
- Paula Ingram … Cast, Singer, Annie
- Johnny Worthy … Cast, Singer, Robbins
- Antonia Adellita … Cast, Chorus
- Earlene Bentley … Cast, Chorus
- Alison Buchanan … Cast, Chorus
- Pauline Forrest-Watson … Cast, Chorus
- Anne Fridal … Cast, Chorus
- Olive Murray … Cast, Chorus
- Annabelle Williams … Cast, Chorus
- Angela Caesar … Cast, Chorus
- Denise Hector … Cast, Chorus
- Hyacinth Nicholls … Cast, Chorus
- Ademilola Oduwole … Cast, Chorus
- Kay Maria Smith … Cast, Chorus
- Feliziano Flores … Cast, Chorus
- Trevor Georges … Cast, Chorus
- Tarcissius Januel … Cast, Chorus
- Lloyd Newton … Cast, Chorus
- Richie Pitts … Cast, Chorus
- Ismail Taylor-Kamara … Cast, Chorus
- Ronald Samm … Cast, Chorus
- Louis de Costa Johnson … Cast, Chorus
- John Harman … Cast, Chorus
- Abraham Osuagwu … Cast, Chorus
- Nigel Roche … Cast, Chorus
- Marc Summers … Cast, Chorus
- Ewart James Walters … Cast, Chorus
- Margaret Ancobiah … Cast, Children
- Jaime Fenton … Cast, Children
- Tamara McKoy Patterson … Cast, Children
- Fiona McLean … Cast, Children
- Fiona Mintahsem … Cast, Children
- Elisha Moore … Cast, Children
- Jade Rechais … Cast, Children
- Thea Renee … Cast, Children
- Deon Sharma … Cast, Children
- Marc Addai … Cast, Children
- Nadj Byne … Cast, Children
- Deji Davies … Cast, Children
- Jonathon Edmondson … Cast, Children
- Christopher Osei-Kuffer … Cast, Children
- Sherina Pearce … Cast, Children
- Kojo Prempeh … Cast, Children
- Jermaine Sempebwa … Cast, Children
- Chris Simms … Cast, Children
- Stacey Trenchfield … Cast, Children
- Wenitta Williams … Cast, Children
- Gabrielle Mason … Cast, Children
- Lloyd Anderson … Cast
- Shane Attwood … Cast
- Kevin Austin … Cast
- Cliff Gittens … Cast
- Bertie Greene … Cast
- Trevor Kelly … Cast
- Bob Newent … Cast
- Vincent Osborne … Cast
- Earle Williams … Cast