The Garry Marshall Theatre's first production of its Inaugural Season, Terrence McNally's Master Class, will star Emmy-winner Carolyn Hennesy as the legendary opera soprano Maria Callas and opens September 22.
Helmed by Artistic Director Dimitri Toscas, the cast also includes Roy Abramsohn as "Manny" Weinstock, Jeff Campanella as Stagehand, Maegan McConnell as Sophie De Palma, Landon Shaw II as Anthony Candolino, and Aubrey Trujillo-Scarr as Sharon Graham.
Master Class will open the newly formed nonprofit Garry Marshall Theatre in Burbank for a 5-week limited run from September 22 to October 22. The production will feature scenic design by Francois-Pierre Couture, costume design by Michele Young, lighting by JM Montecalvo, sound design by Robert A. Ramirez, and properties design by John McElveney.
Inspired by world-renowned Opera diva Maria Callas' magnificent Juilliard master class series, Terrence McNally's Tony Award-winning play spotlights the tour-de-force artist and vulnerable woman known as La Divina. Callas relentlessly coaxes, prods, and edifies her young students, motivating them to give the performances of their lives, while revealing her humor, her demons, and her genius.
IF YOU GO:
Master Class
Directed by Dimitri Toscas
Starring Carolyn Hennessy with Roy Abramsohn, Jeff Campanella, Maegan McConnell, Landon Shaw II, Aubrey Trujillo-Scarr
September 22 - October 22, 2017
Previews: September 20 and 21, 2017
Press Openings: September 22, 2017 at 8pm and September 23 at 2pm
Schedule: Thursdays, Fridays at 8pm; Saturdays at 2pm and 8pm; Sundays at 3pm
At Garry Marshall Theatre, 4252 W Riverside Drive, Burbank, CA 91505
Tickets: $45-$65; Tickets on sale August 28, 2017
Season tickets and subscriptions available now.
Box Office: (818) 955-8101 | GarryMarshallTheatre.org
Follow on Facebook: facebook.com/GarryMarshallTheatre, Twitter: @GMTheatre_org and Instagram: @garrymarshalltheatre.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Carolyn Hennesy (Maria Callas) is best known on television for her Emmy-nominated portrayal of Diane Miller on General Hospital, as well as her memorable work as Barb Coman on ABC's Cougar Town and as Rosalyn Harris on Alan Ball's critically acclaimed HBO series True Blood. She recently won an Emmy for her appearance on The Bay: The Series. On the big screen, Hennesy's credits include Click, Legally Blonde 2, St. Agatha, and Terminator 3, among others. A Los Angeles native, Carolyn has been in over 100 theatrical productions spanning the LA regional and international theatre scenes. Having trained at American Conservatory Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London as well as earning a dramatic scholarship to the California State University at Northridge, she has played such distinguished houses as the Mark Taper Forum, Arizona Theatre Company and the Geary Stage. She is the 2001 recipient of the prestigious Natalie Schafer Award for Outstanding Comedic Actress given by the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle. Among other accolades, the LA Stage Alliance has honored her with an Ovation Award for her work in The Fan Maroo.
Roy Abramsohn (Manny) has performed at The Oregon Shakespearean Festival, Berkeley Rep, and Portland Center Stage. In Los Angeles, he has performed the Mark Taper Forum; the Pasadena and Laguna Playhouses; and the Colony, Odyssey, Fountain, and Annenberg Theatres. Abramsohn has also appeared with Youth Concerts with the New York Philharmonic as well as with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Disney Concert Hall in a youth concert series "The Art of the Piano." At the former Falcon Theatre he appeared in TRUMBO with Joe Mantegna.
Jeff Campanella (Stagehand) has been seen in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Metamorphoses, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Caligula. On TV he can be seen in Turn: Washington Spies, Major Crimes, Devious Maids, and NCIS, and will hit on Jeremy Irons in the upcoming film An Actor Prepares.
Maegan McConnell (Sophie De Palma) has performed as Maria in West Side Story, Petra in A Little Night Music, Johanna in Sweeny Todd, Ann Deever in All My Sons, Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest, Adah in Naughty Marietta, Mabel in Pirates of Penzance, and Lucy Brown in The Threepenny Opera. Maegan has worked Off-Broadway and with The 5th Avenue Theatre, TUTS, McCoy-Rigby, East West Players, Intimate Opera Company, A Noise Within, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, among others.
Landon Shaw II (Anthony Candolino) is pursuing a MM at USC Thornton School of Music. He received his BM from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at Cal State Long Beach. This year he appeared at USC Thornton as Bénédict in Béatrice et Bénédict by Berlioz. Shaw spent the summers of 2014-16 at the Aspen Music Festival, where his roles included Il messaggero in Verdi's Aïda and Dino in A Wedding by William Bolcom. His first role with The Industry, directed by Yuval Sharon, was Jameson in the world premiere of Hopscotch in 2015 and last year he participated in The Industry/Los Angeles Philharmonic Association's NIMBUS, composed by Rand Steiger at the Disney Concert Hall.
Aubrey Trujillo-Scarr (Sharon Graham) has appeared in Master Class at Jewel Theater; Carmen, Abduction from the Seraglio, Lucia di Lammermoor, The Mikado at Pacific Opera Project; Carmen, La Rondine at Opera Santa Barbara; Cosí fan tutte, Candide at Pasadena Opera; Roméo et Juliette, Madama Butterfly at Center Stage Opera; I pagliacci at Celestial Opera Company; A Midsummer Night's Dream at Independent Opera Company; and Carmen at Opera San Jose. She holds her Master of Music from UCLA. Aubrey works behind the scenes as a fight director, choreographer, and swashbuckler for several west coast companies.
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