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  • From: "Todd Morman" <tmorman AT nc.rr.com>
  • To: "RTP-area local music and culture" <ch-scene AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: "Master Class" at Theatre in the Park is great
  • Date: Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:34:51 -0500

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





  • fiery furnaces tonight, grady, 08/17/2009
    • "Master Class" at Theatre in the Park is great, Todd Morman, 08/21/2009

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