RTP-area local music and culture

["Todd Morman" <tmorman AT nc.rr.com>]

Hey, just thought I'd pass it along, since Saturday's the last night, but I 
saw the TIP production of Terrence McNally's "Master Class" last night and 
it was just wonderful. It's about Maria Callas, and is set in the format of 
a master class (basically a rambling public crit of student performances), 
with the audience as students/spectators. I had no idea until just before 
the show that Callas had been having an abusive affair with Ari Onassis, who 
forced her to have an abortion before dumping her for Jackie O. That's about 
all the backstory you need.

The first thing I noticed was the writing; it's a beautifully written, 
multi-layered play that mixes past & present, spoken word & voice, hilarious 
jabs and aching pain in near-perfect balance. Second, I was completely 
captivated by the actress playing Callas (also the director, who was also 
the one putting up fliers on Hillsborough Street a couple of weeks back [DIY 
rules]). She was fantastic - complex, funny, emotional but controlled and 
always on-point; it was simply a ton of fun to watch her (she also played 
Hamlet's mom so well in that Temple Theater production in Sanford I raved 
about at the start of the year). The third best thing is the vocal 
performances by the actors playing the students, especially the two women 
(I'd enjoy opera a helluva lot more if I could get the kind of running 
annotation McNally sets up in this play between the impatient Callas and the 
singing students).

Seriously, I don't think I've had a more enjoyable music/theater experience 
this year (Lambchop is a tie), so if you have tomorrow free before you go to 
the Lump benefit dance, here's one recommendation you swing by "Master 
Class" at Theatre in the Park. If it helps, McNally was also the guy behind 
the controversial Jesus-as-gay-Texas-teen "Corpus Christi" a few years back. 
http://www.theatreinthepark.com/

todd I tried to get to John Howie/Dale Watson after but was just too damn 
old morman