Theatre

Porgy and Bess
Streetcar Named Desire

PORGY & BESS

Set in Charleston’s fabled Catfish Row, PORGY & BESS is the classic story of the beautiful Bess struggling to break free from her scandalous past, and the only one who can rescue her is the crippled, but courageous Porgy. Threatened by her formidable former lover Crown, and the seductive enticements of the colorful troublemaker Sporting Life, Porgy and Bess’ relationship evolves into a deep romance that triumphs as one of theater’s most exhilarating love stories.

Cast

AUDRA McDONALD as Bess

Broadway: Carousel (Tony Award), Master Class (Tony Award), Ragtime (Tony Award), A Raisin in the Sun (Tony Award), Marie Christine (Tony nomination), 110 in the Shade (Tony nomination, Drama Desk Award), Henry IV, The Secret Garden. Opera: La Voix Humaine and Send (who are you? I love you), Houston Grand Opera; Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, LA Opera. Television: "Private Practice" (Dr. Naomi Bennett) on ABC, "A Raisin in the Sun" (Emmy nomination), "Wit" (Emmy nomination), "Homicide: Life on the Street," "Law & Order: SVU," "Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years," "The Bedford Diaries," and "Kidnapped," and the 1999 television remake of "Annie" (Miss Farrell). Films: She Got Problems, Best Thief in the World, It Runs in the Family, The Object of My Affection, Seven Servants, and Rampart (upcoming). McDonald has recorded four solo albums for Nonesuch Records and won two 2009 Grammy Awards for The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. She maintains an active concert career, appearing with her own ensemble and with major orchestras and conductors across the U.S. and abroad. Training: The Juilliard School. Favorite role: Mommy to Zoe Madeline.

NORM LEWIS as Porgy

Broadway: Sondheim on Sondheim (Soloist), The Little Mermaid (King Triton), Les Misérables (Javert, Drama League nomination), Chicago (Billy Flynn), Amour, The Wild Party, Side Show (Jake), Miss Saigon (John) and Tommy. London: Les Misérables (Javert), West End, London; Les Misérables 25th Anniversary Concert, London's O2 Arena. Off-Broadway: Dessa Rose (Nathan, Drama Desk nomination, Audelco Award), The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Valentine, Drama League nomination), Captains Courageous (Doc), A New Brain (Roger). Regional: Ragtime (Coalhouse), Dreamgirls (Curtis, with Jennifer Holliday), First You Dream, Sweeney Todd (Sweeney), The Fantasticks (El Gallo). Concerts: Chess (Molokov, with Josh Groban), Dreamgirls (Curtis), Actor's Fund; Golden Boy (Eddie), Encores! Film and television: Sex and the City 2, "Preaching to the Choir," "Confidences," "Mystery Woman," "Cosby," "Strong Medicine," "All My Children" and "As the World Turns." Recordings include: his debut solo CD, Norm Lewis: "This Is The Life." normlewis.com.

DAVID ALAN GRIER as Sporting Life

Broadway: The First (Jackie Robinson, Tony nomination, Theatre World Award), Dreamgirls, A Soldier's Play, Race (Tony nomination). Films: A Soldier's Story, Robert Altman's Streamers (Golden Lion for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival), Dance Flick and the upcoming We the Peeples. Television: "In Living Color" (1990-1994, Emmy Award); "DAG" (2000-2001); "Life with Bonnie" (2003, Image and Golden Satellite nomination); and he also appeared on "Chocolate News." Grier has been named one of Comedy Central's "100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time." In his first, recently published book, Barack Like Me: The Chocolate Covered Truth, he expounds on politics, culture and race while recounting his own life story in this edgy, timely, timeless and hilarious memoir and look at all things Barack. He holds an M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama.