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Porgy and Bess poster collection, Collection #C0145, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University.
Collection donated by Lorraine Brown in 1995.
Processed by Special Collections and Archives Staff. EAD markup completed in February 2009 by Eron Ackerman and Jordan Patty.
Porgy and Bess was a three act "folk opera" originally produced by The Theatre Guild at the Alvin Theatre, New York City, in 1927. It was taken directly from a book by Dubose Heyward titled Porgy, with lyrics and music by Ira and George Gershwin. Robert Breen, secretary for the American National Theatre and Academy (ANTA) was instrumental in bringing federal financing to the performing arts on the American scene and promoting artistic and cultural exchanges between the U.S. and Europe. Beginning in 1949 with a U.S. tour of Hamlet throughout Europe, ANTA sponsored such projects as the American National Ballet Theatre's tour of Europe, and American participation in the Berlin Arts Festival in 1951. Porgy and Bess, which showed a different side of life in America, was one of the productions chosen to be played before European audiences in 1952. Breen directed and co-produced it with Blevins Davis. This critically acclaimed revival of Porgy and Bess toured twenty-nine countries in North and South America and Europe for four years from 1952-1956.
This collection contains posters promoting the ANTA-sponsored production of Porgy and Bess as it toured various countries, mostly European, during the 1950s.
The posters are arranged alphabetically according to the country in which the performances were produced.
Special Collections and Archives also holds many other
22"x14"; Vertical; black background with yellow lettering; white squares with black lettering; white border
34"x24"; Large black background with bright yellow lettering; white squares with black lettering; white border
31"x96"; Black background with white squares and black lettering; large bright yellow lettering in the middle of "Porgy and Bess".
32"x24"; Black background with white squares and black lettering; off white border; large lemon yellow letters in middle; yellow square at top with black lettering
60"x92"; Four pieces; bright red background with off white border and white lettering inside of it
34"x24"; Washed out off-white background; small black lettering, larger bold red lettering; on the left side there is a square with the words "Porgy and Bess".
42"x31"; Salmon colored fibrous paper with black charted lettering
33"x25"; White background in middle with lime-green lettering and black writing;black and white photographs taken from characters and scenes of the play act as the boder.
69"x36"; White background; blue border with white starts; blue and red lettering
12"x8"; Small washed out cream-color background; black border with red and black lettering; two star illustrations on either side
11"x8"; Washed out brown background; red and black lettering; four different versions
69"x36"; White background; blue star border; blue and red lettering; Egyptian lettering at top.
18"x12"; Off-white background;red and blue lettering
55"x36"; Large; bright purple with black lettering.
24"x16"; Green background with black and white lettering
64"x94",48"x34"; Large;green background with large black lettering
24"x16"; Vertical;dark green background with white border;large bold black lettering
59"x40",59"x37"; Green background; large black lettering
23"x33"; Off-white background with blue sketch-like illustration of village; magenta and black lettering through the center
24"x34"; Lemon yellow background with orange border on the top and bottom; orange and black lettering
24"x34"; White background with black lettering; blue patch with Porgy and Bess written in yellow in the middle
24"x33"; White background with black lettering; blue patch of color in middle with "Porgy and Bess" written in bright yellow
24"x34"; Lemon yellow background; black border on sides; orange border on top and bottom; black and orange lettering
23"x33"; Brick colored border surrounding off-white background; brick colored lettering
48"x33"; Black and white background with large yellow, black, and white lettering
48"x33"; Two pieces; bright red background with bright yellow lettering reading "Porgy and Bess" across the front
51"x34"; Two pieces; black background with large yellow lettering in the middle
37"x25"; White background with blue border; red and blue lettering; bigger letters in the middle than in the rest of poster
27"x13"; Vertical; off-white background with red and black lettering
48"x33";Mustard-yellow background with black lettering;red lettering in upper half; Two purple stamp-like pictures on lower left part; tear running through title. ("Porgy and Bess")
40"x14"; Vertical; beige background with brown and red lettering;has a shield-like emblem border at the top
28"x40"; Bright yellow background; lists names in black lettering with red lettering in the upper half.
15"x11",40"x28",80"x40"; Light brown background with dark brown lettering; red cross on shield at top; decorative leafy-style border
39"x28"; Bright blue background with a yellow and green illustration of village; white border; white lettering.
52"x38, 37"x26"; Bright yellow background; black lettering; red lettering at top; very simple.
22"x13"; Bright mustard yellow background; brown border; red and brown lettering.
10"x7"; Small white playbills with red and blue lettering; writing on front and back.
55"x40",78"x54"; Bright mustard-yellow background with black and red lettering
40"x14"; Vertical; blue background with black and red lettering
40"x14"; Vertical; yellow background with black and red lettering
80"x54"; Three pieces; green and bright yellow background fading into one another; large red lettering at top; black lettering at bottom; very bright and colorful
27"x13"; Vertical; off-white pink illustration of a lady in the background; large red lettering towards top
38"x26"; Pink and yellow illustration with black lettering
40"x28"; Vibrant red background with half facial photo of Gershwin in upper right, illustration of Porgy and Bess on left; black and white lettering.
40"x14"; A number of these in the background colors of: yellow, blue-green, blue, washed-out, white, and pink; black and red lettering;vertical
55"x39"; Large; off-white; red and black lettering.
49"x33"; White border; black lettering within white squares; yellow squares with black lettering; bright yellow lettering in very middle
52"x34"; Two pieces; washed-out white background with black lettering
40"x28";White background; blue and red lettering.
50"x35"; Large; off-white with brown and red lettering; branch style border with leaves on it.
28"x14", 50"x36"; Washed-out yellow background with black and red lettering; bold red lettering in the middle.
11"x8";Washed-out white with red and black lettering; bold red lettering in the middle.
50"x36";Light green background with painted color figures of Porgy and Bess; black sketch of village behind them; blue lettering at top; black lettering throughout the rest.
20"x12"; Black border with lettering surrounding light green background; painted color figures of Porgy and Bess; black line sketch of village behind them; blue lettering at top.
20"x14"; Two shades of orange background; black and white lettering; illustration of Porgy and Bess dancing in the middle
9"x6"; Small; off-white flyer with black border; stars on sides; black writing; illustration of village in black.
42"x28"; White background; blue and red lettering in upper half.
40"x27"; White background; blue and red lettering; blue lettering in bottom half
39"x28"; White background; purple and white lettering
12"x8"; White background; red and black lettering; writing on both sides.