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Porgy and Bess

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Based On

adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play Porgy, itself an adaptation of DuBose Heyward's 1925 novel Porgy

Company
San Francisco Opera Association
Location
San Francisco, CA
Venue
War Memorial Opera House
Season
1986-1987
Language
English

Creative/Crew

Music Director
Conductor
Richard Bradshaw(6/24, 25, 26)
Roger Cantrell(6/27, 28m, 28e, 30; 7/1, 2, 3, 5m, 5e)
Scenery designer
Lighting Designer
Associate Conductor & Chorus Master
Assistant Lighting Designer
Casting Coordinator/Consultant (ELB Artists Ent.)
Directed by
Costume Designer(s)
Choreographer
Assistant Director(s)
Production Stage Manager
Executive Coordinator

Cast

Porgy, a crippled beggar
Terry Cook(6/24,26,28m,30;7/2,5m)
Mic Bell(6/25.27.28e;7/1,3,5e)
Bess
Carmen Balthrop(6/25.27.28e;7/1,3,5e)
Henrietta Davis(6/24,26,28m,30;7/2,5m)
Crown, a stevedore
Gregg Baker(6/24,26,28m,30)
William Bradley-Johnson(6/25,27,28e;7/1,2,3,5)
Serena, Robbins's wife
Patricia Miller(6/24,26,28m,30;7/2,5m)
Theresa Hamm(6/25,27,28e)
Clara, Jake's wife
Maria, keeper of the cookshop
Jake, a fisherman
Sportin' Life, a dope peddler
Larry Marshall(6/24,26,28m,30;7/2,5m)
Kriss St. Hill(6/25,27,28e;7/1,3,5e)
Robbins
Peter, the honey man
Frazier, a "lawyer"
Lily, Peter's wife
Strawberry Woman
Jim, a cotton picker
Undertaker
Crab Man
Detective
Policeman
Coroner
Scipio
Jasbo Brown

Show Dates

Time and Place

Charleston, South Carolina, in the 1930s

Scenes

Act I, Scene 1 -- Catfish Row, a summer evening
Scene 2 -- Serena's Room, the following night
Scene 3 -- Catfish Row, a month later
Scene 4 -- Kittiwah Island, late afternoon
Act II, Scene 1 -- Catfish Row, before dawn, a week later
Scene 2 -- Serena's Room, dawn of the following day
Scene 3 -- Catfish Row, the next night
Scene 4 -- Catfish Row, the next afternoon
Scene 5 -- Catfish Row, a week later

Acknowledgements

(Please check complete credits on page 3)

Legacy Commission

Lyrics by DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin

Notes

1987 Summer season

NB: Maestro Richard Bradshaw conducted the first three performances; Maestro Roger Cantrell conducted the final 9 performances.

This revival of the 1976 Sherwin M. Goldman and Houston Grand Opera production,
originally conducted by John DeMain and directed by Jack O'Brien, is a co-production
among the following opera companies:

Houston Grand Opera, Administrative Producer;
Greater Miami Opera Association
Opera Pacific
Los Angeles Music Center Opera Association
San Diego Opera
Seattle Opera
Portland Opera
Opera/Omaha
Kentucky Opera Association
The Dallas Opera
Cleveland Opera
Michigan Opera Theatre
San Francisco Opera

Executive Producer
SHERWIN M. GOLDMAN

Presented by arrangement exclusively with Tams-Witmark Music Library, Inc., New York

UNDERSTUDIES
Understudies never substitute for listed players unless a
specific announcement is made at the time of the performance.
Porgy: Jimi Ray Malary, Mark Coles
Bess: Naomi Moody
Crown: Jerry Godfrey
Serena: Luvada Harrison-Davis
Clara: Roberta Gumbel, Geraldine McMillian
Maria: Linda A. Thompson
Jake: Jimi Ray Malary, Autris Paige
Sportin' Life: Ronn K. Smith, Cornelius White
Mingo: Robert McDaniel, Cliff Hicklen
Robbins: Robert McDaniel
Peter: Dwight A. Ransom
Frazier: Autris Paige
Annie: Jan Forney-Davis, Linda E. Thompson
Lily: Jo Ann Harris Ingram
Strawberry Woman: Jan Forney-Davis
Jim: Jerry Godfrey, Reggie Leon
Undertaker: Russell Saint John
Crab Man: Dwight A. Ransom
Detective: Richert Easley

ENSEMBLE
Timothy Allen
Wilbur Archie
Earl L. Baker
Roslyn Burrough
Mark Coles
Karen Eubanks
Jan Forney-Davis
Jerry Godfrey
Roberta Gumbel
April A. Haines
Theresa Hamm
Luvada Harrison-Davis
Gurcell Henry
Cliff Hicklen
Jo Ann Harris Ingram
Linda James
Reggie Leon
Jimi Ray Malary
Yvette Matthews
Robert McDaniel
Geraldine McMillian
Autris Paige
Dwight A. Ransom
Natalie Reese
Irwin Reese
Russell Saint John
Ronn K. Smith
Vanessa Stewart
Linda E. Thompson
Mervin Wallace
Cornelius White
Denise Woods

STAFF FOR PORGY AND BESS
General Management -- Houston Grand Opera Association, Inc.
Company Manager -- Daryl Dodson
Production Stage Manager -- Mark Baltazar
Stage Managers: Pamela Young, Margaret Stenger
Assistant Stage Manager -- Ted Bouton
Dance Captain -- Karen Eubanks
Master Carpenter -- Brian McGarty
Assistant Carpenter -- Michael Holmes
Tour Lighting Director -- Marie Barrett
Master Electrician -- Tom Rekuc
Assistant Electrician -- Thomas Lane
Property Mistress -- Lynda Wittwer
Wardrobe Mistress -- Leola Edwards
Wardrobe Assistant -- Judith