Stephen Sondheim Writes a Blistering Response to Revisions in Porgy and Bess

As Diane Paulus’ production of Porgy and Bess begins its pre-Broadway run at Boston’s American Repertory Theatre, composer Stephen Sondheim has written a long (978 words) and blistering letter to The New York Times in response to an August 7 Arts & Leisure section feature story about the show. The article went into great detail about how Paulus plans to trim the opera and make it play more like a piece of musical theater, adding biographical details in script revisions by playwright Suzan-Lori Parks and beefing up the character of Bess (to be played by Audra McDonald, opposite Norm Lewis as Porgy).

Sondheim began by decrying the decision to bill the Broadway production The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. “I assume that’s in case anyone was worried it was the Rodgers and Hart ‘Porgy and Bess’ that was coming to town,” he wrote, establishing the tone of the rest of the letter. Comments by Paulus and Parks about the need to provide back stories for the characters drew this retort: “These characters are as vivid as any ever created for the musical theater, as has been proved over and over in productions that may have cut some dialogue and musical passages but didn’t rewrite or distort them.”

Four-time Tony winner Audra McDonald didn’t escape Sondheim’s ire, either, for her quote that Bess is “often more of a plot device than a full-blooded character.” Responded the composer: “Often? Meaning sometimes she’s full-blooded and other times not? She’s always full-blooded when she’s acted full-bloodedly.”

After handing the entire creative team their heads, Sondheim ended his letter on a (slightly) positive note: “Perhaps [the production] will be wonderful. Certainly I can think of no better Porgy than Norm Lewis nor a better Bess than Audra McDonald, whose voice is one of the glories of the American theater.” Then came another zinger: “Perhaps Ms. Paulus and company will have earned their arrogance.”

Porgy and Bess is scheduled to begin previews on December 17 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, with opening night on January 12, 2012. To read Sondheim’s entire letter, click here.