Suzan-Lori Parks, Diane Paulus, Diedre Murray Working on New Porgy and Bess for A.R.T.

Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks and Obie Award-winning composer Diedre Murray are collaborating on a revised version of Porgy and Bess, to debut at American Repertory Theatre (A.R.T.) in early September 2011. Diane Paulus, the company’s artistic director, will direct the production, which will have choreography by Ronald K. Brown. Paulus is collaborating with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks and composer Diedre Murray, who will work on rearrangements of George Gershwin’s famed score and plays down its roots as an opera.

With original libretto by DuBose and Dorothy Heyward and a score by George and Ira Gershwin, the modern opera focuses on the denizens of the fictitious Catfish Row and in particular, a disabled beggar’s attempts to rescue a woman from her violent lover. Among the most famous songs to come from the piece are “Summertime” and “It Ain’t Necessarily So.”

The creative team will include scenic designer Riccardo Hernandez, costume designer Emilio Sosa, and lighting designer Christopher Akerlind, along with Acme Sound Partners, which will provide sound design.

A.R.T. will present the production in in association with Jeffrey Richards and Jerry Frankel.