Master Class

Sometime in 1995-1996 I saw the Broadway production of Terrence McNally’s Master Class, which starred Zoe Caldwell. I remember being blown away by both Caldwell and a then-unknown (by me at least) actress, Audra McDonald. They both won Tony awards for their performances.

A Broadway revival is opening this week but I was a little reluctant to see it because I didn’t want to fool with the very positive memory from 1995. But circumstance, and a little chicanery, brought me tickets for a preview performance on June 24th and I needn’t have worried. Tyne Daly is a worthy successor to Ms. Caldwell and brings her own singular pizazz to the role of Maria Callas teaching an operatic master class. The actress playing the role originated by Ms. McDonald was very good and sang beautifully (if you like that kind of singing…lol) but she doesn’t quite have that, well, that powerful and charismatic personality that engulfs an audience.

The show seemed a bit long to me, especially in the second act, and there were a couple of rough spots technically but, of course, the show was still in preview and that stuff has probably been overcome. Overall, this Master Class was as riveting as I remember it and held up its end of the bargain in comparison. Frances McDermond should thank her lucky stars that Tyne Daly was not yet eligible for a Tony Award nomination this year. It would have been a horse race otherwise with neither the favorite.