Elijah Rock gives Porgy enough jauntiness to keep him going, but is most riveting when he sings the unforgettable songs Gershwin has provided: “I Got Plenty of Nothing” “Bess, You Is My Woman Now” and, in a final restoration of faith, or at the very least an earnest try at bravado, “O Lord, I’m On My Way.” Rock’s Porgy is not a powerful figure, though he regains some agility when life is going his way and metal braces help him stand up for himself. But it’s Rock’s magical singing that makes him stand out, with extended lines and graceful nuance delivered by a voice that can be forceful or gentle as the moment demands. [more]: Ventura Star

Elijah Rock: Gershwin has been a part of my life since the beginning of my formal training as a vocalist. In 2015, I did a show called “Words by Ira Gershwin,” with the musical director Kevin Toney. That was a jazz interpretation as well, and those arrangements were swinging, so when I found out that Toney was going to be working on this adaptation, I had to. I’ve been wanting to play Porgy for a long time. [more]: KCRW 

For Rock, who will be making a radical transition from the role of madcap dancer Cab Calloway, which won him an Ovation Award Nomination in 2016, to the physically disabled yet emotionally strong Porgy, the challenge of the show involves the way that its “mixture of musical styles” requires a “merging of all the disciplines” of acting, movement, and song. Rock cites the close relationship he enjoys with musical director Toney as one of the key elements to achieving this, as the jazz band is in many ways as important to the production as any of the actors. [more]: Santa Barbara Independent