Santa Paula Theater Center announces opening of Terrance McNally’s “Master Class”

May 06, 2002
Santa Paula News

The Santa Paula Theater Center has announced that Linda Livingston will star in Terrance McNally’s “Master Class,” directed by David Ralphe and produced by Leslie Nichols, beginning Friday, May 10th at 8 p.m. at the Santa Paula Theater Center, 125 S. 7th St., Santa Paula.

“Master Class” is first-class theater. Playwright Terrance McNally builds his Tony Award-winning story around a series of master classes Maria Callas held for students at the Julliard School of Music in 1971-72.

The Santa Paula Theater Center has announced that Linda Livingston will star in Terrance McNally’s “Master Class,” directed by David Ralphe and produced by Leslie Nichols, beginning Friday, May 10th at 8 p.m. at the Santa Paula Theater Center, 125 S. 7th St., Santa Paula.“Master Class” is first-class theater. Playwright Terrance McNally builds his Tony Award-winning story around a series of master classes Maria Callas held for students at the Julliard School of Music in 1971-72.Callas was a complex personality - temperamental, egotistical, fiery, competitive, aggressive - who possessed an extraordinary soprano voice covering three octaves. Her operatic career, mostly in the 1950s, was short but stunning. Her career ended when her voice gave out in the early ’60s. Callas’s voice was gone, but she could still teach. The audience watches Callas as she chides, torments, coaxes and encourages her pupils. She also lapses into recollections of her greatness, her struggles and her life with Aristotle Onassis.Linda Livingston’s acting background includes stage, film, television, and National Public Radio. She has a long history with the Santa Paula Theater Center (since its year of inception), both as actor and director. Some of her many roles here include Edith Frank (“The Diary of Anne Frank”); Eleanor of Aquitaine (“The Lion in Winter”); Maggie (“Dancing at Lughnasa”); Nurse Ratched (“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”); Elaine Rutledge (“Miss Firecracker Contest”); and Tilly Slowboy (“Cricket on the Hearth”), for which she won an REP award for outstanding actress in a drama. Other local credits include Blanche in the world premiere of “Murder in the First” with Ted Neeley and Larry Hagman at Ventura’s Rubicon Theatre (Garland Award honorable mention); “The Lady of Larkspur Lotion” with Theater on Main; and “Female Transport” with Ojai’s Flying H Group. She has performed in a number of theatres in the Santa Barbara area as well.
Linda can be seen in the short film “Brightness” featuring Eric Idle, recently running on the Independent Film Channel. She has directed several shows for SPTC, including two runs of “Lone Star” on the backstage and last year’s REP award-winning “Miracle on 34th Street.” She is also the co-artistic director of the popular, seven years running “Ghostwalk.” Another REP award winner from last year, Elite Theater’s “The Murder Room,” was also directed by Linda. And while she is performing at SPTC as Maria Callas, “L’Chaim,” an original comedy by Martin Horsey which she directed in both Oxnard and Thousand Oaks, is currently running under her direction at the Odyssey Theater in Los Angeles.“Master Class” is directed by award-winning actor, director and producer David Ralphe, who has worked in the entertainment industry for more years than he cares to admit. He currently serves as the artistic director for the Santa Paula Theater Center and also the general manager for the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center. Past directorial credits locally include “A Chorus Line” for ARTS; “Man of La Mancha” and “Of Mice and Men” for Santa Susana Repertory Company; and in Santa Paula, “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” “Bleacher Bums,” “An Ideal Husband,” “The Boys Next Door” and the upcoming “Barrymore” which opens September 20th.“Master Class” plays May 10th through June 23rd at the Santa Paula Theater Center, 125 S. 7th Street. The performance schedule is Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Ticket prices are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students, and $10 for children 12 and under. For reservations please call 525-4645. Group sales are also available.



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