littlearmenia
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KIM GARFIELD & COMPANY
Public Relations
6359 Orange Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Contact:
KIM GARFIELD
(323) 965-1029
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOUNTAIN THEATRE PRESENTS
TERRENCE McNALLY’S TONY AWARD-WINNING
“MASTER CLASS”
OPENING NOVEMBER 14
KAREN KONDAZIAN STARS AS
OPERA DIVA MARIA CALLAS
“Without art, life would be a mistake."
Maria Callas
The Fountain Theatre concludes its 2003 season with Terrence McNally’s Tony Award-winning drama, MASTER CLASS, starring Karen Kondazian as legendary opera star, Maria Callas. Directed by Simon Levy, this highly acclaimed play opens Friday, November 14 at 8:00pm (through December 14). Previews begin November 7.
MASTER CLASS brings ‘La Divina’ back to life in a Juiliard School of Music classroom -- where she coaxes, prods, terrorizes and inspires three students into giving the performances of their lives, while revealing her own. As Callas slips off into memories, we experience her triumphs at La Scala, her doomed marriage to Meneghini, and her tumultuous love affair with Aristotle Onassis. Through these emotional explorations -- abetted by her cutting wit and the soaring music as each student sings an operatic aria -- the audience, along with the students, learns what it is to feel great joy and sorrow…and the passionate dedication it takes to create glorious art.
MASTER CLASS also features Joyce Cooper (pianist), Dallas Henry (stagehand), Terence Jay (the tenor), Danielle Nice (Soprano #1) and Hila Plithmann (Soprano #2).
Karen Kondazian is considered the foremost interpreter of Tennessee Williams leading ladies in Los Angeles theatre. Williams himself pronounced her portrayal of Serafina in The Rose Tattoo as “staggeringly beautiful” and for that performance she won the L. A. Drama Critics Circle Award. For the Fountain she has played Maxine in The Night of The Iguana (Back Stage West Garland award) and Lady in Orpheus Descending (Ovation Award nomination); she has also played Alexandra del Lago (opposite Ed Harris) in Sweet Bird of Youth and Mrs. Wire in Vieux Carre (L.A. Weekly award). She has appeared with Richard Chamberlain in Richard III (Ahmanson), with Stacy Keach in Hamlet (Mark Taper Forum) and in Mark Rydell’s TV movie, James Dean. A lifetime member of the Actors Studio, she has studied with Lee Strasberg and Jose Quintero, and has authored a book titled The Actor’s Encyclopedia of Casting Directors.
Simon Levy most recently directed the Fountain’s acclaimed production of Lee Blessing’s Going To St. Ives. Also for the Fountain he directed Orpheus Descending, The Night of the Iguana and Summer and Smoke (triple Ovation Award winner); he wrote the stage adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender Is The Night (PEN West Award for Drama) and adapted/directed Fitzgerald’s The Last Tycoon (winner, 5 Back Stage West Garland Awards, including adaptation and direction). He will next direct the Fountain’s West Coast premiere production of Daisy in the Dreamtime, which was chosen to close the “Hot Properties” series at (Inside) The Ford, opening March, 2004.
MASTER CLASS is produced by Bennett Bradley and Yvonne Bennett, with set design by Desma Murphy, lighting design by Kathi O’Donohue, multi-media design by Marc Rosenthal, costumes by Naila Aladin-Sanders and sound by John Zalewski.
The performance schedule is Friday & Saturday at 8:00pm, Sunday at 2:00pm. Tickets are $25 ($27 for opening night, $15 for previews). Reservations: (323) 663-1525. The Fountain Theatre is located at 5060 Fountain Ave., Hollywood. Website: www.fountaintheatre.com. Low-cost parking is adjacent to the theatre.
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Topic: Karen Kondazian Stars In "Master Class"
