By Tim Moore
Thingamajig Theatre Company
Terrence McNally’s Master Class is part lecture, part confessional and part gladiatorial match.
At the Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts (PSCA), Laura Moore embodies Maria Callas with wit, ferocity and startling vulnerability. The result is a production that has captivated audiences and critics alike, earning praise as one of Thingamajig Theatre Company’s finest presentations.
The premise is deceptively straightforward: Callas, once the most celebrated soprano in the world, presides over a voice class with three ambitious young singers. Yet the lesson is never simply about singing. Callas’ fierce critiques and razor-edged humor slip effortlessly into recollections of triumphs, betrayals and sacrifices that defined her career. In this space, the line between teacher and confessor blurs — and the audience becomes witness to the cost of greatness.
Moore’s performance is at once commanding and intimate, summoning the grandeur of Callas while revealing the raw humanity beneath the diva’s armor. She is matched by a strong ensemble: Ellie O’Hara, Trevor Brown and Samantha Luck as the brave students who weather her storm; and Dale Scrivener at the piano, who provides both music and dry counterpoint to the tempest onstage. Together, they give the play both bite and balance. Scott Morehead rounds out the cast as the unimpressed stagehand and plays an unintended and delightfully humorous foil to Callas.
Audiences have responded warmly, with many praising the production’s sharp humor and emotional depth. Critics have highlighted the clarity of the staging, humorous banter and Moore’s commanding performance. Performances have already sold out — a clear sign of the play’s resonance and appeal.
For those who missed it — or those who want to experience it again — “Master Class” returns for a brief encore this weekend at the PSCA, with performances on Oct. 10 and 11 at 7 p.m. Tickets are extremely limited and moving quickly.
This is not just a play about music. It is about the price of ambition, the beauty of imperfection and the way art leaves its mark long after the curtain falls. At the PSCA, Callas’ lesson is clear: Theater at its best is as unforgiving — and as unforgettable — as life itself.
For tickets and show information, visit pagosacenter.org or call (970) 731-SHOW (7469).
