DOC Films series: “White on Black: African Americans in Hollywood, 1929–1960”
Tuesdays, March 29, 2011 – May 31, 2011
Max Palevsky Cinema, The University of Chicago, 1212 E. 59th Street
$5 admission
The controversial 1959 MGM film of Porgy and Bess was just one of the many all-black cast musicals made by Hollywood in the decades leading up to the civil rights movement. Produced, written, and directed by whites, and depicting black culture largely through the eyes of white America, these films nevertheless showcased the most talented black actors and musicians of their era. This Tuesday night DOC Films series will feature Cabin in the Sky, Carmen Jones, Hallelujah!, Green Pastures, and Stormy Weather, among others. Postshow panels and discussions will follow some screenings. All films presented in 35mm. Full schedule at http://docfilms.uchicago.edu
University Symphony Orchestra presents the Music of George Gershwin
Saturday, April 23, 2011, 8 pm
Mandel Hall, The University of Chicago, 5701 S. University Avenue
(Free admission)
For one night only, the University of Chicago’s 100-piece symphony orchestra performs the music of George Gershwin, including selections from Porgy and Bess. Conducted by USO Director Barbara Schubert, audience members will have the rare opportunity to hear the full symphonic sound of Gershwin’s compositions performed by University of Chicago students and faculty and featured vocalists from the cast of Court Theatre’s Porgy and Bess.
Porgy and Bess: 1925–2011 Exhibit
April 29, 2011 – July 3, 2011
DuSable Museum of African-American History, 740 East 56th Place
(Free with admission to the DuSable Museum)
The exhibit Porgy and Bess: 1925 – 2011 at the DuSable Museum of African-American History explores the 85-year history of the Gershwin opera, beginning with DuBose Heyward’s novel about the Charleston Gullah community to the opera’s Cold War tour behind the Iron Curtain to the 1959 film starring Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge. Told through coverage from the Chicago Defender and the words of luminaries like Langston Hughes and James Baldwin, Porgy and Bess: 1925 – 2011 sheds new light on a controversial piece of American history.
Porgy and Bess Discussion Series
Every Sunday after the 2:30 pm matinee performance of Porgy and Bess
Court Theatre’s robust post-show discussion series during the run of Porgy and Bess will offer audiences a unique look into the world of the opera from a number of perspectives. Each Sunday at following the 2:30 PM matinee performance, Resident Dramaturg and University of Chicago lecturer Drew Dir will be joined by a different guest artist or scholar to examine the history, music, politics, or performance of the Gershwins’ seminal American classic. Audiences will gain exclusive access to some of the most brilliant minds in Chicago, and patron comments and questions will become part of the discourse. Conversations will begin immediately after every Sunday matinee performance, last approximately 30 minutes, and are free and open to all.
University of Chicago Student Night
Friday, May 13 @ 8 pm
University of Chicago students are invited to enjoy FREE food and soda after the performance! U of C Student tickets are always just $10 with valid U of C ID.
Porgy and Bess: The History of an American Symbol
Sunday, May 22, 2011, 4-5:00 pm
DuSable Museum of African American History
740 East 56th Place
Free & open to the public
A Graham School AXIS Chicago program presented in partnership with Court Theatre and the DuSable Museum of African American History
Join University of Chicago ethnomusicologist Travis Jackson and Court Theatre Director Charles Newell in a discussion moderated by DuSable Education Program Manager Jomo Cheatham as they delve into the 85-year history of the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. Considered by many to be one of the greatest pieces of American music theater ever created, Porgy and Bess has also been denounced as a racially insensitive portrayal of black southerners.
An exhibition employing local artifacts, coverage from the Chicago Defender, and the writings of luminaries like Langston Hughes and James Baldwin will be on display at DuSable during Court’s production, and this afternoon conversation will address this classic but contested piece of American theater history. The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess will be presented at the Court Theatre from May 12 to June 19 and the accompanying exhibition “Porgy and Bess: 1925-2011” will be on view at the DuSable Museum of African American History during the production’s run.
A limited number of discounted $45 tickets are available for the opening night performance on Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 8:00 PM. Call Court Theatre Group Sales at (773) 834-3243 and mention AXIS Chicago to take advantage of this special offer, but hurry-spots are filling up quickly.
David Bevington Discussion
Wednesday, June 1 following the 7:30 Performance of Porgy and Bess
Join world-renowned University of Chicago theater scholar David Bevington in a lively post-show conversation with Resident Dramaturg Drew Dir. Your comments and questions are part of the discourse as Professor Bevington and the artistic staff provide context and probe the deeper issues of each play in Court Theatre’s season. One Wednesday performance of each play features this popular in-depth discussion. These conversations begin immediately after the performance, last approximately 30 minutes, and are free and open to all—even if you saw the show on another night, come back and join us!
