PS Classics to Release Cast Album For The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess

PS Classics, the label dedicated to the heritage of Broadway and American popular song, will record the New Broadway Cast Album of The Gershwins’ PORGY AND BESS on March 12 & 13, 2012.

The two-disc set will be produced by PS Classics co-founder, Tommy Krasker, who began his producing career with an acclaimed series of Gershwin studio cast recordings in the early 1990's. Krasker anticipates a May 8th street date; the recording is currently available for pre-order at the label's website, www.psclassics.com.

The Gershwins’ PORGY AND BESShas a cast led by four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald (Ragtime, “Private Practice”) as Bess, Drama Desk nominee Norm Lewis (Les Misérables, Sondheim on Sondheim) as Porgy and two-time Tony nominee David Alan Grier (Race, “In Living Color”) as Sporting Life. The cast also includes Phillip Boykin as Crown, Nikki Renée Daniels as Clara, Joshua Henry as Jake, Christopher Innvar as Detective, Bryonha Marie Parham as Serena and NaTasha Yvette Williams as Mariah, as well as Sumayya Ali, Allison Blackwell, Roosevelt André Credit, Trevon Davis, Joseph Dellger, Wilkie Ferguson III, Carmen Ruby Floyd, Gavin Gregory, Heather Hill, David Hughey, Andrea Jones-Sojola, Alicia Hall Moran, Cedric Neal, Phumzile Sojola, Nathaniel Stampley, Julius Thomas III, J.D. Webster and Lisa Nicole Wilkerson.

Following its sold-out world premiere engagement at Boston’s American Repertory Theater, one of Broadway’s most accomplished creative teams, led by Tony-nominated director Diane Paulus (Hair), Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks (Topdog/Underdog), and two-time Obie Award-winning composer Diedre L. Murray (Running Man), brought George and Ira Gershwin’s legendary masterwork to the Broadway stage for the first time in more than 35 years. Due to overwhelming popularity and demand, producers of The Gershwins’ PORGY AND BESS announced that this critically-acclaimed Broadway revival has been extended, and is now on sale through September 30, 2012. The production, which was originally announced as a limited run, officially opened on January 12, 2012 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 West 46th Street). Tickets are currently on sale online.

The creative team also includes choreographer Ronald K. Brown, set designer Riccardo Hernandez, costume designer ESosa, lighting designer Christopher Akerlind and sound designer Acme Sound Partners.

The Gershwins’ PORGY AND BESS is produced on Broadway by Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Rebecca Gold, Howard Kagan, Cheryl Wiesenfeld/Brunish Trinchero/Lucio Simons TBC, Joseph and Matthew Deitch, Mark S. Golub & David S. Golub, Terry Schnuck, Freitag Productions/Koenigsberg Filerman, The Leonore S. Gershwin 1987 Trust, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Ken Mahoney, Judith Resnick, Tulchin/Bartner/ATG, Paper Boy Productions, Christopher Hart, Alden Badway, Broadway Across America, Irene Gandy and Will Trice.