Dee Rees has found her new project. Even though her most recent film, “The Last Thing He Wanted,” has yet to be released (coming to Netflix on February 21), the director has already lined up a new project with MGM, an adaptation of the American opera, “Porgy and Bess.”
Read More: 52 Films Directed By Women To Watch In 2020
According to Deadline, Rees will write and direct the adaptation, which is based on the opera and novel (written by DuBose Heyward).
Continue reading Dee Rees To Write & Direct A Film Adaptation Of The Opera ‘Porgy & Bess’ at The Playlist.
Read More: 52 Films Directed By Women To Watch In 2020
According to Deadline, Rees will write and direct the adaptation, which is based on the opera and novel (written by DuBose Heyward).
Continue reading Dee Rees To Write & Direct A Film Adaptation Of The Opera ‘Porgy & Bess’ at The Playlist.
- 2/11/2020
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
“Mudbound” director Dee Rees is set to write and direct a new movie adaptation of George Gershwin’s American opera “Porgy and Bess” that’s set up at MGM, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
Irwin Winkler and Charles Winkler of Winkler Films will produce the adaptation, and Winkler Films worked closely with MGM to secure the rights to the story from the Gershwin estate.
“Porgy and Bess” was first adapted into a feature film in 1959 by director Otto Preminger starring Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Brock Peters and Sammy Davis Jr.
Also Read: Alex Ross Perry to Direct Adaptation of Stephen King's 'The Dark Half' for MGM
It was originally based on a novel of the same name by DuBose Heyward from 1925 and in the same year was adapted into a play called “Porgy” by Heyward and Dorothy Heyward. Composer George Gershwin and lyricist...
Irwin Winkler and Charles Winkler of Winkler Films will produce the adaptation, and Winkler Films worked closely with MGM to secure the rights to the story from the Gershwin estate.
“Porgy and Bess” was first adapted into a feature film in 1959 by director Otto Preminger starring Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Brock Peters and Sammy Davis Jr.
Also Read: Alex Ross Perry to Direct Adaptation of Stephen King's 'The Dark Half' for MGM
It was originally based on a novel of the same name by DuBose Heyward from 1925 and in the same year was adapted into a play called “Porgy” by Heyward and Dorothy Heyward. Composer George Gershwin and lyricist...
- 2/11/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
After premiering her latest film The Last Thing He Wanted at Sundance, Dee Rees has chosen her next project: a remake of George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.
Rees will write and direct the musical, which follows Porgy, a disabled black street beggar living in the slums of Charleston, as he attempts to rescue Bess from a violent love and drug dealer.
Gershwin's opera is an adaption of Dorothy and DuBose Heyward's play Porgy, which is itself an adaptation of the Heywards' 1925 novel. It was previously adapted for the screen in a 1959 film that Otto Preminger directed, with ...
Rees will write and direct the musical, which follows Porgy, a disabled black street beggar living in the slums of Charleston, as he attempts to rescue Bess from a violent love and drug dealer.
Gershwin's opera is an adaption of Dorothy and DuBose Heyward's play Porgy, which is itself an adaptation of the Heywards' 1925 novel. It was previously adapted for the screen in a 1959 film that Otto Preminger directed, with ...
- 2/11/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After premiering her latest film The Last Thing He Wanted at Sundance, Dee Rees has chosen her next project: a remake of George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.
Rees will write and direct the musical, which follows Porgy, a disabled black street beggar living in the slums of Charleston, as he attempts to rescue Bess from a violent love and drug dealer.
Gershwin's opera is an adaption of Dorothy and DuBose Heyward's play Porgy, which is itself an adaptation of the Heywards' 1925 novel. It was previously adapted for the screen in a 1959 film that Otto Preminger directed, with ...
Rees will write and direct the musical, which follows Porgy, a disabled black street beggar living in the slums of Charleston, as he attempts to rescue Bess from a violent love and drug dealer.
Gershwin's opera is an adaption of Dorothy and DuBose Heyward's play Porgy, which is itself an adaptation of the Heywards' 1925 novel. It was previously adapted for the screen in a 1959 film that Otto Preminger directed, with ...
- 2/11/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Tony Sokol Oct 4, 2019
Richard Rodgers wrote a musical for Diahann Carroll to star in after hearing her sing on The Tonight Show.
Pioneering TV, film and stage actor Diahann Carroll, who broke barriers as the star of the 60s series Julia, died of Friday in Los Angeles at 84 due to cancer, according to the Associated Press.
Carroll performed on stages in Las Vegas nightclubs, Broadway theaters, and feature film adaptations like Carmen Jones and Porgy & Bess before she was cast in the title role on the comedy Julia. Her character was the first time an African-American was cast as the star of a show in a non-servant role. Julia Baker was a nurse raising a young son as a single mother following the death of her husband in the Vietnam War. The series ran for 86 episodes on NBC between 1968 and 1971.
Carol Diahann Johnson was born in the Bronx, but grew up in Harlem,...
Richard Rodgers wrote a musical for Diahann Carroll to star in after hearing her sing on The Tonight Show.
Pioneering TV, film and stage actor Diahann Carroll, who broke barriers as the star of the 60s series Julia, died of Friday in Los Angeles at 84 due to cancer, according to the Associated Press.
Carroll performed on stages in Las Vegas nightclubs, Broadway theaters, and feature film adaptations like Carmen Jones and Porgy & Bess before she was cast in the title role on the comedy Julia. Her character was the first time an African-American was cast as the star of a show in a non-servant role. Julia Baker was a nurse raising a young son as a single mother following the death of her husband in the Vietnam War. The series ran for 86 episodes on NBC between 1968 and 1971.
Carol Diahann Johnson was born in the Bronx, but grew up in Harlem,...
- 10/4/2019
- Den of Geek
Today in 1942, the first revival of Porgy and Bess opened at the Majestic Theatre, where it ran for 286 performances. 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 subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward. All three works deal with African-American life in the fictitious Catfish Row in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early 1920s. Originally conceived by George Gershwin as an 'American folk opera', Porgy and Bess premiered in New York in the fall of 1935 and featured an entire cast of classically trained African-American singers-a daring artistic choice at the time.
- 1/22/2016
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
Happy Birthday, Ira Gershwin A lyricist, Gershwin collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century. With George he wrote more than a dozen Broadway shows, featuring songs such as 'I Got Rhythm', 'Embraceable You', 'The Man I Love' and 'Someone to Watch Over Me'. He was also responsible, along with DuBose Heyward, for the libretto to George's opera Porgy and Bess. The success the brothers had with their collaborative works has often overshadowed the creative role that Ira played. However, his mastery of songwriting continued after the early death of George. He wrote additional hit songs with composers Jerome Kern 'Long Ago and Far Away', Kurt Weill and Harold Arlen.
- 12/6/2015
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
Today in 1943, Porgy and Bess opened at the 44th Street Theatre, where it ran for 24 performances. 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 subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward. All three works deal with African-American life in the fictitious Catfish Row in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early 1920s. Originally conceived by George Gershwin as an 'American folk opera', Porgy and Bess premiered in New York in the fall of 1935 and featured an entire cast of classically trained African-American singers-a daring artistic choice at the time.
- 9/13/2015
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
Live From Lincoln Center - the pioneering, award-winning performing arts series - continues its 40th anniversary season with another concert from Lincoln Center's American Songbook series, featuring Norm Lewis Who Am I April 10 on PBS. Song selections include 'Wouldn't It Be Loverly' Music by Frederick Loewe, lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner 'I Got Plenty o' Nuttin' Music by George Gershwin, lyrics by DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin 'What's Going On' Renaldo Benson, al Cleveland, and Marvin Gaye and 'No One Is Alone' Stephen Sondheim.
- 4/7/2015
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
Today in 1942, the first revival of Porgy and Bess opened at the Majestic Theatre, where it ran for 286 performances. 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 subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward. All three works deal with African-American life in the fictitious Catfish Row in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early 1920s. Originally conceived by George Gershwin as an 'American folk opera', Porgy and Bess premiered in New York in the fall of 1935 and featured an entire cast of classically trained African-American singers-a daring artistic choice at the time.
- 1/22/2015
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
Name: Andrea Faustini
Age: 20
Job: Student
From: Rome, Italy
Category - Mentor: Boys - Mel B
Fast fact: Andrea is a massive Spice Girls fan. And he likes pugs.
What he said: [If he won] "I would buy a car, maybe. I'm not very good at driving so just a small one, to start with."
Performances
Room Audition: 'Who's Lovin' You' by The Miracles/Jackson 5
Cheryl: "I'm lovin' you! Seriously, that was unbelievable. Your little Spice Girls doll, I'm like, 'okay'. Then you sung and I was like, 'Oh my god'. You know what, biggest example why to not judge a book by its cover. That told me."
Arena Audition: 'Try A Little Tenderness' by Otis Redding
Louis: "It's moments like this and somebody like you that makes this job worthwhile. I loved every single note of that, and you've got so much soul."
Cheryl: "You sang with every bit of passion,...
Age: 20
Job: Student
From: Rome, Italy
Category - Mentor: Boys - Mel B
Fast fact: Andrea is a massive Spice Girls fan. And he likes pugs.
What he said: [If he won] "I would buy a car, maybe. I'm not very good at driving so just a small one, to start with."
Performances
Room Audition: 'Who's Lovin' You' by The Miracles/Jackson 5
Cheryl: "I'm lovin' you! Seriously, that was unbelievable. Your little Spice Girls doll, I'm like, 'okay'. Then you sung and I was like, 'Oh my god'. You know what, biggest example why to not judge a book by its cover. That told me."
Arena Audition: 'Try A Little Tenderness' by Otis Redding
Louis: "It's moments like this and somebody like you that makes this job worthwhile. I loved every single note of that, and you've got so much soul."
Cheryl: "You sang with every bit of passion,...
- 12/12/2014
- Digital Spy
Happy Birthday, Ira Gershwin A lyricist, Gershwin collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century. With George he wrote more than a dozen Broadway shows, featuring songs such as 'I Got Rhythm', 'Embraceable You', 'The Man I Love' and 'Someone to Watch Over Me'. He was also responsible, along with DuBose Heyward, for the libretto to George's opera Porgy and Bess. The success the brothers had with their collaborative works has often overshadowed the creative role that Ira played. However, his mastery of songwriting continued after the early death of George. He wrote additional hit songs with composers Jerome Kern 'Long Ago and Far Away', Kurt Weill and Harold Arlen.
- 12/6/2014
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
Week Six saw The X Factor contestants pay tribute to Big Band music with an eclectic group of performances.
Digital Spy rounds up what Simon Cowell, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, Mel B and Louis Walsh had to say about Saturday night's (November 15) acts - and if you missed the show, you can catch up with all the performances below, too:
1. Andrea Faustini: 'Summertime' by George Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
Cheryl: "You absolutely brought that to life. One word. Amazeballs."
Simon: "It lacked that gritty passion which you need with that song. I thought it was going to go somewhere and it didn't. And you're pulling these terrible faces, like you're in pain."
2. Lauren Platt: 'Smile' by Nat King Cole
Louis: "It's just so effortless like you're born to do this. You're always note-perfect."
Mel B: "You look absolutely stunning. Your technique vocally is flawless.
Digital Spy rounds up what Simon Cowell, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, Mel B and Louis Walsh had to say about Saturday night's (November 15) acts - and if you missed the show, you can catch up with all the performances below, too:
1. Andrea Faustini: 'Summertime' by George Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
Cheryl: "You absolutely brought that to life. One word. Amazeballs."
Simon: "It lacked that gritty passion which you need with that song. I thought it was going to go somewhere and it didn't. And you're pulling these terrible faces, like you're in pain."
2. Lauren Platt: 'Smile' by Nat King Cole
Louis: "It's just so effortless like you're born to do this. You're always note-perfect."
Mel B: "You look absolutely stunning. Your technique vocally is flawless.
- 11/15/2014
- Digital Spy
Today in 1943, Porgy and Bess opened at the 44th Street Theatre, where it ran for 24 performances. 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 subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward. All three works deal with African-American life in the fictitious Catfish Row in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early 1920s. Originally conceived by George Gershwin as an 'American folk opera', Porgy and Bess premiered in New York in the fall of 1935 and featured an entire cast of classically trained African-American singers-a daring artistic choice at the time.
- 9/13/2014
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
Today in 1942, the first revival of Porgy and Bess opened at the Majestic Theatre, where it ran for 286 performances. 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 subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward. All three works deal with African-American life in the fictitious Catfish Row in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early 1920s. Originally conceived by George Gershwin as an 'American folk opera', Porgy and Bess premiered in New York in the fall of 1935 and featured an entire cast of classically trained African-American singers-a daring artistic choice at the time.
- 1/22/2014
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
Happy Birthday, Ira Gershwin A lyricist, Gershwin collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century. With George he wrote more than a dozen Broadway shows, featuring songs such as 'I Got Rhythm', 'Embraceable You', 'The Man I Love' and 'Someone to Watch Over Me'. He was also responsible, along with DuBose Heyward, for the libretto to George's opera Porgy and Bess. The success the brothers had with their collaborative works has often overshadowed the creative role that Ira played. However, his mastery of songwriting continued after the early death of George. He wrote additional hit songs with composers Jerome Kern 'Long Ago and Far Away', Kurt Weill and Harold Arlen.
- 12/6/2013
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
Otto Preminger's 1959 big screen adaptation of the Gershwin/DuBose Heyward opera Porgy and Bess is currently resting among the nation’s treasures in the world’s largest archive of film, TV and sound recordings. The 1959 film is one of 25 films that was inducted for preservation in the 2011 National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, selected because they are deemend “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant. The production and after-life of Preminger's Porgy And Bess, which starred Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge, was controversial, as you might expect (its recent Broadway revival starring Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis in the title roles also...
- 11/25/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Today in 1943, Porgy and Bess opened at the 44th Street Theatre, where it ran for 24 performances. 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 subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward. All three works deal with African-American life in the fictitious Catfish Row in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early 1920s. Originally conceived by George Gershwin as an 'American folk opera', Porgy and Bess premiered in New York in the fall of 1935 and featured an entire cast of classically trained African-American singers-a daring artistic choice at the time.
- 9/13/2013
- BroadwayWorld.com
Only three months ago, the Asian American Performers Action Coalition published a report showing the stunning paucity of casting diversity in New York City theater. Looking at Broadway and 16 Off-Broadway productions, Aapac found that Caucasian actors filled almost 80 percent of roles for the 2011–2012 season. In the midst of these facts, however, there was a bright spot for African-American performers. “In the 2006–2007 season, African-Americans filled only 8 percent of roles. In 2012, it was 16 percent of all roles. That is just an indication that in a very short amount of time African-American casting has come leaps and bounds,” said Pun Bandhu, an actor and a member of Aapac’s steering committee. “African-Americans are much more [culturally] prevalent, and you see [their representation] in the music industry, television, and film.” A number of recent productions with a focus on African-American characters, such as “Dreamgirls” and “Memphis,” have made the leap from the Great White Way to traveling across the country.
- 4/24/2013
- backstage.com
An addendum to last week's news that a "re-envisioned" contemporary film version of Porgy And Bess is in development, with producers Mike Medavoy and Bobby Geisler at the helm, and the Gershwin family and estate of lyricist DuBose Heyward, directly involved, which they are hoping will be "a lot better" than the 1959 film starring Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge, directed by Otto Preminger. No writer and director have been announced yet, with Marc George Gershwin, nephew of the Gershwin brothers, stating that “We’re confident that [producer Mike Medavoy] is going to able to find the right director and writer.” What I failed to report at that time is...
- 4/12/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Well, well, well! Variety is reporting exclusively that a "re-envisioned" contemporary film version of Porgy And Bess is in development, with producers Mike Medavoy and Bobby Geisler, at the helm. The Gershwin family and the estate of lyricist DuBose Heyward, are said to be directly involved in the project, which they are hoping will be "a lot better" than the 1959 film which starred Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge, directed by Otto Preminger. Apparently, the Gershwin family wasn't too happy with that film. “We get approached a lot with ideas that aren’t very good but Mike has a great track record,” Marc George Gershwin, nephew of the Gershwin...
- 4/8/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Producers Mike Medavoy and Bobby Geisler are developing a contemporary film reboot of George and Ira Gershwin's famed opera "Porgy and Bess."
Working with the Gershwin family and the estate of lyricist DuBose Heyward, those involved seem keen on delivering a fresh version of the classic 1935 work. The film will include the famous music from the production, such as the song "Summertime".
A writer and director is currently being sought. Otto Preminger helmed a 1959 film version starring Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge, a version the Gershwin estate was disappointed with.
Source: Variety...
Working with the Gershwin family and the estate of lyricist DuBose Heyward, those involved seem keen on delivering a fresh version of the classic 1935 work. The film will include the famous music from the production, such as the song "Summertime".
A writer and director is currently being sought. Otto Preminger helmed a 1959 film version starring Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge, a version the Gershwin estate was disappointed with.
Source: Variety...
- 4/8/2013
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Today in 1942, the first revival of Porgy and Bess opened at the Majestic Theatre, where it ran for 286 performances. 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 subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward. All three works deal with African-American life in the fictitious Catfish Row in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early 1920s. Originally conceived by George Gershwin as an 'American folk opera', Porgy and Bess premiered in New York in the fall of 1935 and featured an entire cast of classically trained African-American singers-a daring artistic choice at the time.
- 1/22/2013
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
Happy Birthday, Ira Gershwin A lyricist, Gershwin collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century. With George he wrote more than a dozen Broadway shows, featuring songs such as I Got Rhythm, Embraceable You, The Man I Love and Someone to Watch Over Me. He was also responsible, along with DuBose Heyward, for the libretto to George's opera Porgy and Bess. The success the brothers had with their collaborative works has often overshadowed the creative role that Ira played. However, his mastery of songwriting continued after the early death of George. He wrote additional hit songs with composers Jerome Kern Long Ago and Far Away, Kurt Weill and Harold Arlen.
- 12/6/2012
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
Today in 1943, Porgy and Bess opened at the 44th Street Theatre, where it ran for 24 performances. 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 subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward. All three works deal with African-American life in the fictitious Catfish Row in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early 1920s. Originally conceived by George Gershwin as an American folk opera, Porgy and Bess premiered in New York in the fall of 1935 and featured an entire cast of classically trained African-American singers-a daring artistic choice at the time.
- 9/13/2012
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
If the current production of Porgy and Bess accomplishes anything, it is to prove Stephen Sondheim’s preemptive concerns about its approach to this classic piece of American theater to be well-founded. The triumvirate of would-be re-creators consists of Audra McDonald, Diane Paulus, and Suzan-Lori Parks; only McDonald remains standing after the curtain falls.
Seeking to add dimension to the musical’s famed characters while drastically abbreviating its legendary score is a curious undertaking and, in the end, qualities worthy of note are those that long pre-date this version. Drastically reducing the cast’s size had little effect on providing the remaining characters with any enhanced depth but successfully whittled down any grand sense of scale. Ironically, this more resulted in fostering the impression of isolated incident over that of representing a larger world that should be implied as existing outside of the story’s specific realm. This is a...
Seeking to add dimension to the musical’s famed characters while drastically abbreviating its legendary score is a curious undertaking and, in the end, qualities worthy of note are those that long pre-date this version. Drastically reducing the cast’s size had little effect on providing the remaining characters with any enhanced depth but successfully whittled down any grand sense of scale. Ironically, this more resulted in fostering the impression of isolated incident over that of representing a larger world that should be implied as existing outside of the story’s specific realm. This is a...
- 1/22/2012
- by C. Jefferson Thom
- www.culturecatch.com
Today in 1942, the first revival of Porgy and Bess opened at the Majestic Theatre, where it ran for 286 performances. 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 subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward. All three works deal with African-American life in the fictitious Catfish Row in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early 1920s. Originally conceived by George Gershwin as an American folk opera, Porgy and Bess premiered in New York in the fall of 1935 and featured an entire cast of classically trained African-American singers-a daring artistic choice at the time.
- 1/22/2012
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
©Paramount Pictures
“My momma always said, .Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get..” That line was immortalized by Tom Hanks in the award-winning movie “Forest Gump” in 1994. Librarian of Congress James H. Billington today selected that film and 24 others to be preserved as cultural, artistic and historical treasures in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.
Spanning the period 1912-1994, the films named to the registry include Hollywood classics, documentaries, animation, home movies, avant-garde shorts and experimental motion pictures. Representing the rich creative and cultural diversity of the American cinematic experience, the selections range from Walt Disney.s timeless classic “Bambi” and Billy Wilder.s “The Lost Weekend,” a landmark film about the devastating effects of alcoholism, to a real-life drama between a U.S. president and a governor over the desegregation of the University of Alabama. The selections also...
“My momma always said, .Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get..” That line was immortalized by Tom Hanks in the award-winning movie “Forest Gump” in 1994. Librarian of Congress James H. Billington today selected that film and 24 others to be preserved as cultural, artistic and historical treasures in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.
Spanning the period 1912-1994, the films named to the registry include Hollywood classics, documentaries, animation, home movies, avant-garde shorts and experimental motion pictures. Representing the rich creative and cultural diversity of the American cinematic experience, the selections range from Walt Disney.s timeless classic “Bambi” and Billy Wilder.s “The Lost Weekend,” a landmark film about the devastating effects of alcoholism, to a real-life drama between a U.S. president and a governor over the desegregation of the University of Alabama. The selections also...
- 12/28/2011
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
I’m never one to put significant stock in the film-based choices made by any kind of committee — be it an awards group, critics circle, soup kitchen line, etc. — but the National Film Registry is a little different. Not that they’re any different than those aforementioned organization types, but because the government assemblage preserves works deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” No small potatoes.
Their latest list — created for both public awareness and the opportunity to grumble, as I’ll do in a second — has been unveiled, and the selections are none too out-of-left-field. The biggest of these 25 would have to be Forrest Gump, a choice I fully understand but completely disagree with on an opinion and moral scale. The only other true objection I can raise is toward El Mariachi, film school-level junk from a director whose finest works are the direct result of working with those more talented.
Their latest list — created for both public awareness and the opportunity to grumble, as I’ll do in a second — has been unveiled, and the selections are none too out-of-left-field. The biggest of these 25 would have to be Forrest Gump, a choice I fully understand but completely disagree with on an opinion and moral scale. The only other true objection I can raise is toward El Mariachi, film school-level junk from a director whose finest works are the direct result of working with those more talented.
- 12/28/2011
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
On Twitter Watch, Audra McDonald wrote So excited to go to Charleston today. Birthplace of Porgy amp Bess Can't wait to visit Cabbage Row amp the DuBose Heyward House. Pics 2 come.The Gershwins' Porgy And Bess, with a score by George Gershwin, a book by DuBose and Dorothy Heyward, and lyrics byIra Gershwin and DuBose Heyward, has been adapted by Pulitzer prize-winning writer Suzan-Lori Parks, and two-time Obie winner Diedre L. Murray. A.R.T.'s Artistic Director, Diane Paulus, directs. The Broadway production will star Audra McDonald as Bess, Norm Lewis as Porgy and David Alan Grier as Sporting Life, reprising their A.R.T. roles. The production will begin previews on Saturday, December 17th, 2011 and open on Thursday, January 12th, 2012- running through June 24, 2012. Tickets are now on sale at ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000...
- 11/10/2011
- by BWW
- BroadwayWorld.com
We already know that four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald will star in Pultizer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks‘ (Topdog/Underdog) revival of the George Gershwin/DuBose Heyward opera Porgy and Bess, which will bow at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Ma, this September, to be directed by Diane Paulus (the Tony Award-nominated director for her revival of Hair).
I just learned that David Alan Grier and Norm Lewis will join McDonald in the stage production.
Lewis (pictured below-right, whose credits include Les Miserables) will star as “Porgy” to Audra’s “Bess;” while the 2-time Tony Award nominee David Alan Grier, will play “Sportin’ Life,” the dope pusher.
This revival I believe will be a contemporary reworking of the original, so, don’t expect to see the same kinds of characterizations of black people as there were in Gershwin’s work – a work that’s certainly a product of its time,...
I just learned that David Alan Grier and Norm Lewis will join McDonald in the stage production.
Lewis (pictured below-right, whose credits include Les Miserables) will star as “Porgy” to Audra’s “Bess;” while the 2-time Tony Award nominee David Alan Grier, will play “Sportin’ Life,” the dope pusher.
This revival I believe will be a contemporary reworking of the original, so, don’t expect to see the same kinds of characterizations of black people as there were in Gershwin’s work – a work that’s certainly a product of its time,...
- 4/6/2011
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
In my last post on this, she was said to be “in talks” to star in a revival of the George Gershwin/DuBose Heyward opera Porgy and Bess, which will bow at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Ma, this September.
Today, we learn that she’s confirmed it! The Private Practice alum and 4-time Tony Award-winning actress, will indeed be coming home… and by that I mean, not just to New York City where her family is, but back to the theater stage, where she got her start.
“I’m looking forward to it. I feel like I’m old enough,” McDonald told Playbill.com while attending the recent Broadway opening of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
McDonald, a soprano, would of course play Bess in the new production.
As reported on this blog last November, a stage revival of the groundbreaking opera is coming in 2011, in a collaboration...
Today, we learn that she’s confirmed it! The Private Practice alum and 4-time Tony Award-winning actress, will indeed be coming home… and by that I mean, not just to New York City where her family is, but back to the theater stage, where she got her start.
“I’m looking forward to it. I feel like I’m old enough,” McDonald told Playbill.com while attending the recent Broadway opening of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
McDonald, a soprano, would of course play Bess in the new production.
As reported on this blog last November, a stage revival of the groundbreaking opera is coming in 2011, in a collaboration...
- 3/22/2011
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
Aha! So this is why (or at least partly why) she left Private Practice!
She’s coming home… and by that I mean, not just to New York City where her family is, but back to the theater stage, where she got her start.
The 4-time Tony Award-winning actress is reportedly in talks to star in a revival of the George Gershwin/DuBose Heyward opera Porgy and Bess, which will bow at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Ma, this September.
Playbill.com has learned that McDonald, a soprano, would of course play Bess in the new production.
As reported on this blog last November, a stage revival of the groundbreaking opera is coming in 2011, in a collaboration between Pultizer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks (Topdog/Underdog) and Diane Paulus (the Tony Award-nominated director for her revival of Hair).
Paulus will helm the production, with Diedre Murray composing, contemporizing and rearranging George Gershwin’s famed score,...
She’s coming home… and by that I mean, not just to New York City where her family is, but back to the theater stage, where she got her start.
The 4-time Tony Award-winning actress is reportedly in talks to star in a revival of the George Gershwin/DuBose Heyward opera Porgy and Bess, which will bow at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Ma, this September.
Playbill.com has learned that McDonald, a soprano, would of course play Bess in the new production.
As reported on this blog last November, a stage revival of the groundbreaking opera is coming in 2011, in a collaboration between Pultizer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks (Topdog/Underdog) and Diane Paulus (the Tony Award-nominated director for her revival of Hair).
Paulus will helm the production, with Diedre Murray composing, contemporizing and rearranging George Gershwin’s famed score,...
- 2/11/2011
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
A stage revival of George and Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward’s groundbreaking opera, Porgy and Bess, is coming in 2011, in a collaboration between Pultizer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks (Topdog/Underdog) and Diane Paulus (the Tony Award-nominated director for her revival of Hair).
Paulus will helm the production, with Diedre Murray composing, contemporizing and rearranging George Gershwin’s famed score, likely cutting it down from its original 4-hour running time.
I’m don’t yet know what exactly Suzan-Lori Parks’ role will be in this, but I’d guess she’d be working closely with Paulus and Murray, overseeing some or all facets of the production.
The revival of Porgy And Bess, a work that’s been performed quite a bit since its first public showing, is slated to open the American Repertory Theater’s 2011-12 season next September. The producers certainly aren’t counting out an eventual Broadway run as well,...
Paulus will helm the production, with Diedre Murray composing, contemporizing and rearranging George Gershwin’s famed score, likely cutting it down from its original 4-hour running time.
I’m don’t yet know what exactly Suzan-Lori Parks’ role will be in this, but I’d guess she’d be working closely with Paulus and Murray, overseeing some or all facets of the production.
The revival of Porgy And Bess, a work that’s been performed quite a bit since its first public showing, is slated to open the American Repertory Theater’s 2011-12 season next September. The producers certainly aren’t counting out an eventual Broadway run as well,...
- 11/5/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
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