Audra McDonald
In a production filled with emotional intensity, Audra McDonald delivers a powerhouse portrayal that elevates a somewhat uneven staging.
Each month, our arts critics — music, book, theater, dance, television, film, and visual arts — fire off a few brief reviews.
There were the inevitable crowd-pleasers on which Audra McDonald puts her impassioned stamp.
Audra McDonald is so popular on stage, in concert, and on television that she has become, to many, a one-name goddess like Bette, Judy, and Barbra. Judging from her recent star turn in the American Repertory Theater’s production of “Porgy and Bess” and this brilliant concert, she can give the other One-Named Ones a run for their money.
The American Repertory Theater’s juggling/removal of the operatic elements in “Porgy and Bess” is clumsy, but the goal is to create a compelling entertainment for contemporary audiences, smoothing out the melodramatic story’s edges and cutting its length.
A busy month of theater, especially for off-speed, postmodern romances, while old-timers such as the Gershwins and Tennessee Williams receive some attention as well.
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