photo by Andrew Schwartz for Lyric Opera of Kansas City
This review was written by a TeenTix KC teen who is learning about arts journalism through the Press Corps, which provides teens with training and tools to respond to their arts experiences. TeenTix KC seeks to engage teens in the arts and amplify their voices. This may be the first time this teen has publicly expressed their opinion about an arts experience. Thank you for reading and supporting this teen’s development as an arts journalist.
Doors fly open as the set slowly starts to open and light begins to shine through cracks in the wall. Porgy slowly walks toward the light, looking into a future so bright he must close his eyes. And then, just as fast as the stage illuminated, it turns dark. These are the final moments of Porgy and Bess presented by the Lyric Opera of Kansas City.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a show that made me think so much about the material. Every character in this show feels so real and alive; I can feel each character’s past, desires and emotions throughout.
As a teenager in this modern musical space that is so full of fast-paced, all-over-the-place musicals, it felt really nice to slow down and enjoy a slower-paced story that truly took its time developing everything.
I had seen this show a few years ago so I had an idea of what to expect walking in, but I was still transformed by this production. Every part of this show was genuinely enjoyable and I would easily recommend it to any opera fans.
The show follows Porgy and his life in a small, poor community preparing for a hurricane. Porgy’s life in the town gets increasingly more difficult after he catches feelings for Bess. Bess’s boyfriend Crown, doesn’t like this and chaos and violence ensue.
One of my favorite performances was Jermaine Smith as Sportin’ Life. His portrayal felt fun and energetic while also conveying a strong understanding of the heavier aspects of the character. He’s a truly kooky, crazy character and exactly the energy you’d expect from someone selling drugs on the street—doing bell kicks while flaunting “happy dust” to the other characters.
Another huge standout was the beautiful set design by Peter J. Davis. The main set felt so lived-in, like a genuine housing block. Then the walls came falling down, making the more intimate scenes feel much more crowded and small. At the end of Act 1, there’s an amazing moment where the whole set lifts up to leave us at an oceanside theme park that had me questioning how there was even room to fit all of it in the wings.
The best part of the show, however, was the gorgeous sound of the production. The Kansas City Symphony created a beautiful musical undertone throughout the entire production. The music transported me to this small island in South Carolina. On top of the orchestrations were the wonderful vocal performances, which were powerful when they needed to be but also quiet during calmer moments.
This show took me on a wonderful journey where every part felt like I was watching real life and it’s been a long time since I have felt so immersed in a performance. Given the violent themes, I think this show would be appropriate for older teens and adults. The show really helped me realize the type of life I have and left me thinking about so many things.
Reviewed by TeenTix KC Press Corps member Evan LeRoy
TeenTix KC is a KC Studio initiative building a brighter future for our region by empowering young people to take an active role in shaping their arts community as audience members, critics, influencers, advocates, patrons and leaders. Any 13-19 year-old can become a TeenTix KC member by downloading a free pass which enables them to buy $5 tickets to participating arts venues across metro KC. Teens are encouraged to become critics and influencers by writing reviews and creating reels about the arts they experience using their TeenTix KC passes.
Nicely inciteful young man. I can tell by your enthusiasm and word choice that this production touched you. I would add that the imprisoned nature of these characters was greatly enhanced by the set design and its similarity to a prison row of cells. It is highly effective. The voices were legit grand opera as well, which is clear from their resumes and how easily they get over the amazingly lush and large orchestra.