22 actors have played Bess in Porgy and Bess.
View full cast of Porgy and Bess →
| Performer | Production | Opened |
|---|---|---|
| Anne Wiggins Brown | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1935 |
| Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1942 | |
| Etta Moten | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1942 |
| Etta Moten | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Etta Moten | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1944 |
| Elizabeth Foster | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1953 |
| Helen Colbert | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1953 |
| Leontyne Price | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1953 |
| Urylee Leonardos | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1953 |
| Clamma Dale | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1976 |
| Esther Hinds | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1976 |
| Irene Oliver | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1976 |
| Phyllis Bash | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1976 |
| Daisy Newman | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1983 |
| Henrietta Elizabeth Davis | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1983 |
| Naomi Moody | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1983 |
| Priscilla Baskerville | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1983 |
| Marquita Lister | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 2000 |
| Nicola Hughes | West End Porgy and Bess | 2006 |
| Alicia Hall Moran | Broadway The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess | 2012 |
| Audra McDonald | Broadway The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess | 2012 |
| Sumayya Ali | Broadway The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess | 2012 |
| Alicia Hall Moran | US Tour The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess | 2013 |
| Cheryse McLeod Lewis | US Tour The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess | 2013 |
| Soara-Joye Ross | US Tour The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess | 2013 |
| Sumayya Ali | US Tour The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess | 2013 |
Other Roles in Porgy and Bess
| Role | Production | Opened |
|---|---|---|
| Annie | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Bess | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Chorus | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Clara | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Coroner | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Crab Man | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Crown | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Detective | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Frazier | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Jake | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Jim | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Lily | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Maria | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Mingo | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Nelson | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Peter | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Policeman | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Porgy | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Robbins | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Serena | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Sportin' Life | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Strawberry Woman | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
| Undertaker | Broadway Porgy and Bess | 1943 |
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