Director Stephen Wadsworth worked with Tony Award winner Daly (the 1989-90 Gypsy) on the 2010 Kennedy Center revival of McNally's play, set in a master class in which Callas critiques young legit singers and muses on her life, loves and career. Wadsworth's Broadway company includes Olivier Award nominee Sierra Boggess (Love Never Dies, The Little Mermaid) as student-singer Sharon, a role that won Audra McDonald a Tony Award; Clinton Brandhagen as a Stagehand; Jeremy Cohen as accompanist Manny; Alexandra Silber as student-singer Sophie; and Garrett Sorenson as student-singer Tony.
This MTC limited engagement opens July 7 and is on sale through Aug. 14.
According to MTC, "Terrence McNally's play about Maria Callas (Tyne Daly) takes us to one of her famous master classes, where, late in her own career, she dares the next generation to make the same sacrifices and rise to the same heights that made her the most celebrated, the most reviled and the most controversial singer of her time."
The original Broadway production (directed by Leoard Foglia) included sung musical passages from Verdi's Macbeth, Puccini's Tosca and Bellini's La Sonnambula. The play is inspired by real master classes that Callas gave at the Juilliard School in the 1970s.
McNally's most recent Broadway credit was the libretto of the 2011 Tony Award-nominated Best Musical Catch Me If You Can. In addition to his Best Play Tony for Master Class, McNally won a Best Play Tony for Love! Valour! Compassion! and Tonys for Best Book for Kiss of the Spider Woman and Ragtime. The creative team includes Thomas Lynch (scenic design), Martin Pakledinaz (costume design), David Lander (lighting design), Jon Gottlieb (sound design) and Paul Huntley (wig design).
Master Class is produced by Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, artistic director; Barry Grove, executive producer) by special arrangement with Max Cooper, Maberry Theatricals, Marks-Moore-Turnbull Group and Ted Snowdon.
Tickets are available by calling Telecharge at (212) 239-6200, online by visiting www.Telecharge.com, or by visiting the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre Box Office (261 West 47th Street). Ticket prices are $57–$116.
For more information on MTC, please visit www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com.
