Doctor Jesus”) while Porgy waits anxiously for Bess to wake. As Bess recovers, vendors walk about Catfish Row selling strawberries, honey and crabs (“Street Cries”). Bess awakens and admits to Porgy she has been with Crown; Porgy vows to protect Bess if Crown comes back for her (“I Loves You Porgy”). Meanwhile, Clara is out on the wharf waiting for Jake to return in the Seagull. The hurricane bell sounds, warning everyone that a storm is imminent.


With a storm raging outside, all of Catfish Row huddles inside (“Oh, The Lord Shake the Heaven”). Suddenly, Crown barges in, mocking everyone’s prayers with a bawdy song (“A Red Headed Wom- an”). He demands that Bess go with him. When Clara sees that Jake’s boat has overturned in the ocean, she asks Bess to watch after her baby as she runs into the raging storm to find her husband. Crown follows after Clara to rescue her. The storm settles and the community bring ritual wreaths to the waterside, mourning the losses of Clara, Jake, and Crown in the storm (“Clara, Don’t You Be Downhearted”)


When Serena asks what the community should do with Clara’s motherless child, Bess holds tightly onto the baby and reminds them that Clara’s last living word was for Bess to keep the child. Sport- ing Life appears and hints that Crown may still be alive. As Bess sings Clara’s lullaby to the child (“Summertime (Reprise)”), Crown returns to Cat- fish Row to take Bess away from Porgy. Having placed Mariah’s knife in his brace, Porgy attacks Crown and kills him. When the police arrive, they demand that Porgy come down to the station and


identify the body. Traumatized by the thought of being near Crown’s corpse, Porgy is dragged off unwillingly. In his absence, Sporting Life tempts Bess with cocaine, “happy dust,” and visions of a better life in New York City (“There’s a Boat That’s Leaving Soon”). Convinced she will never see Porgy again, and scared for her own life as the De- tective hovers nearby, Bess leaves Catfish Row.


Miraculously, Porgy returns to Catfish Row un- scathed after spending time in prison. Eager to see Bess, he asks the community to call her out of the house and see the surprise he has brought her-- clothes for the baby and a new red dress. Porgy’s neighbors reluctantly reveal that Bess has left for New York without him. Porgy is distraught. As members of Catfish Row try to convince him that he his better off without Bess, Porgy throws down his cane and, in a state of fervor and confu- sion, he cries out for his love (“Where’s My Bess?”) Despite Mariah and Serena’s arguments that Bess was no good for Porgy, he declares he must leave Catfish Row and find Bess. The community, at first hurt and conflicted, turn their backs on Porgy. Yet, as Porgy’s determination becomes clear, his Cat- fish Row family embraces his choice and bids him farewell on his journey to find Bess (“I’m On My Way”).


What do you think happens next? Do Porgy and Bess find each other in New York?


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