Gregg Baker, Laquita Mitchell Star in New Jersey State Opera's PORGY AND BESS, 5/21 & 5/23
By: Lauren Wolman
New Jersey State Opera will presents its 75th anniversary production of PORGY AND BESS at the Newark Symphony Hall on Friday, May 21 at 8pm and Sunday, May 23 at 3pm. Gregg Baker and Laquita Mitchell will star in the show which will be directed by Jonathan Eaton with the 55-piece orchestra being conducted by Jason C. Tramm.
PORGY AND BESS is an opera, first performed in 1935, with music by George Gershwin, libretto by DuBose Heyward, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward. It was based on DuBose Heyward's novel "Porgy" and the play of the same name which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward. PORGY AND BESS tells the story of Porgy, a crippled black man living in the slums of Charleston, South Carolina. It deals with his attempts to rescue Bess from the clutches of Crown, her violent and possessive lover, and Sportin' Life, the drug dealer. It features classic musical theater songs including "Summertime," "Bess, You Is My Woman Now," and "I Got Plenty o' Nothin'." The cast will also include Lester Lynch (Crown), Angela Brown (Serena), Janinah Burnett (Clara), and Lawrence Craig (Sportin' Life). For tickets, please contact the Newark Symphony Hall Box Office at 973-643-4550 or Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000. For Group Sales or more information contact New Jersey State Opera at 973-623-5757 or www.njstateopera.org.