I had fun creating two Valentine’s signage– expressly for a desk or check-in counter– for a half dozen of my doctors, dentist, and PT guy, to share the joy of the approaching Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14.
I dressed up acrylic photo frames, which were the foundation for the signs. The scheme was to use available holiday items – heart stickers, heart sayings – in bursts of red, pink, and white.
One version featured a sparkling red heart bearing a pink “love you” saying, surrounded by valentines of various hues with seasonal sayings like “be mine” and “Valentine’s Day.” Used a background comprising a variety of smaller hearts.
The other one boasted an oversized red valentine, onto which a funky red-and-black lip cutout is glued with “kiss me” wording. Assorted smaller valentines – displaying timely candy slogans like “hugs,” “you rock,” “#love” and “awesome”—serve as mini billboards befitting Valentine’s Day.
The signs accompanied an array of Valentine’s pins for these health heroes.
Mary Gutzi, veteran actress, will be featured as Golda Meir in a Readers Theatre presentation next week at The Actors Group at the Brad Powell Theatre at Dole Cannery.
The event will be at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3, 4 and 5.
The resource is “Golda’s Balcony,” by William Gibson, best known for “The Miracle Worker.” Vanita Rae Smith, veteran director and founder of the Readers Theatre during her era as director at the Army Community Theatre, will direct.
Mary Gutzi
The play opens in 1973, on the eve of the Yom Kippur War. Told in flashbacks, the tale tracks Meir’s life, including her childhood in Russia, her time as a schoolteacher in Milwaukee, and her emigration to Palestine.
The play also focuses on Meir’s struggles to achieve peace and make difficult moral choices and suggests that she threatened to launch nuclear weapons against her enemies unless the U.S. helped Israel.
Gutzi is a veteran of the stage, known for a myriad of shows here, nationally, and internationally and admits she’s done shows in all 50 states. Her career spans more than five decades and a variety of roles. She recently played Mother Superior in “Sister Act” in South Korea and in Japan.
Her Great White Way credits include “Ragtime” (Emma Goldman) and “Les Miserables” (Fantine), and she has toured in “Ragtime,” “Sunset Boulevard” (Norma Desmond) and “Cats” (Grizabella).
A nomad, she has maintained an apartment in New York and storage space in Los Angeles, and hip-hops to roles and jobs wherever and whenever possible.
While in the Islands, Gutzi is engaged in private coaching and welcomes actors and singers and new performers.
Singer-composer Gail Mack is starting the New Year with a couple of gigs with her friends.
Gail Mack
Her playdates, both at Mango Street Grill in Wahiawa, are:
Feb. 16, 5 to 8 p.m., with Lance Luke, Keith Hiraoka and Bobby Nishida.
March 16, 5 to 8 p.m., with Luke and Hiraoka.
For reservations, call Daryl at (808) 627-5451…
Legendary folk singer and composer Judy Collins makes a lone and rare appearance at 7 p.m. Feb. 9 at Blue Note Hawaii at the Outrigger Waikiki resort.
She is known for numerous chartbuster hits, including “Both Sides Now” and “Send in the Clowns.” Ticket availability is limited; call (808) 777-4890…
Broadway grosses, for week ending Jan. 26
“Gypsy,” starring Audra McDonald, made a huge leap to No. 2 among the Broadway hit shows, for the week ending Jan. 26. Two other shows made their debut on the Top 10, with “Wicked” retaining its No.1 slot.
Diamond Head Theatre’s “Master Class” — a Terrence McNally comedy-drama about real-life diva Maria Callas instructing operatic singers on the how’s and why’s of delivering an aria — is both masterful and classy.
Though it features music, it is not a musical. Though it is occasionally hilarious, it is not a comedy per se. What it is, is a drama reimagining and reenacting Callas, the famed and often feared opera legend, as she conducts classes for two wanna-be opera sopranos and one tenor. It’s instructive, illuminating and inspirational.
Director Bryce Chaddick stages the one-set show in front of a luxurious curved, 11-panel spectacle of warm wood (a splendid creation by set designer Randy Tandal), with lighting designed by Dawn Oshima (right and bright). Midway through the production, the stage becomes La Scala, thanks to a vintage projection of the tiered seating. It’s a stunning high point of staging magic produced by a team of theatrical artists.
The acting is wonderful, too. Amy K. Sullivan is superb as Callas; she delivers her lines as monologues that reel off like conversations. You can envision the diva in action: chatty, charming and challenging her students to strive, drive and arrive at her level of expectation. She roars like a lion, often demeaning but not vicious. She has plenty of thoughts, one of the memorable being her stern advice: “You don’t have a look. You look very nice, I’m sure you are. You look very clean, very comme il faut (proper in etiquette and behavior) but you don’t have a look. Get one, as quickly as possible.
Amy K. Sullivan, in pantsuit, is Maria Callas, and Anna Young is the overdressed Sharon Graham, in “Master Class.” David Young, at the grand piano, is Manny Weinstock. Photo Brandon Miyagi, courtesy DHT.
Her look is alternately proper and demanding, soldiering through the sessions seeking hope and brilliance from her students, finding just a skosh of the kind of talent she once was. Ya don’t find pearls in all the oysters you seek.
Georgine Stark is Sophie de Palma, the first soprano; she is fearful, gritty, but inexperienced, so eager to learn.
Anna Young is Sharon Graham, the second soprano; she is ambitious, somewhat thick-skinned, and overdressed in a gown that reflects obvious innocence. Callas promptly tells her, “Don’t wear anything like that before midnight at the earliest, and certainly not to class.”
Kasey Nahlovksy is Anthony “Tony” Candolini, the tenor; he has an obvious ego, occasionally begging for Callas’ thunderous responses, but he nonetheless delivers a solid voice.
David Young is Emmanuel “Manny” Weinstock, the accompanist who has worked with Callas before, endures the sass from Callas; and the aforementioned Tandal is the stagehand, who is commanded to bring Callas water, footstool and a cushion, fetching stuff like a trained pet.
Sullivan as Callas, gestures toYoung, as Sharon. Brandon Miyagi photo.
What to look for:
Callas’ inherent pride of conquest with her students, but with a veneer of vulnerability. She is somewhat a monstrous leading lady, now reduced to instructional icon, but she retains her glorious past. In one instance, he remembers, fittingly, that she was at the top of her form, thanks to her vocal cords. “That’s who I am; this voice,” she bellows, and yup, her voice defined her fame.
Her propriety and her ways of the past: in her initial appearance in the audition hall at Juilliard, she “shushes” the spectators – the live audience in the theater, and thus the audience witnessing her theatrics – to halt applause and hoots of her past fame.
That jewel of a stage design – simply perfection – is the basic background for the diva and her students. A circular magnifying glass adorns one sector of the stage; two curtains drop, separating on-stage action, and are part of the savvy, clean, and effective staging.
What to listen for:
The arias featured in the instructional moments: Sophie’s number is “Oh! Se Una Volta Sola…Ah! Non Credea Mirarti,” from Bellini’s “La Sonnambula;” Sharon’s selection is “Nel Di Della Vittoria…Vieni! T’Affretta!” from Verdi’s “MacBeth;” and Tony’s tune is “Recondita Armonia,” from Puccini’s “Tosca.”
Though Calla’s voice is dormant as the resident master, her recorded voice onstage is heard in that splendid moment where she recalls she’s delivering an aria in the projected concert hall as she mimics The Moment. The applause is warranted.
What/who to cheer:
Other triumphs among the technical crew – costume design by Kanani Sato (bravo, for Callas’ pants-and-top garb, accented by a lengthy scarf); sound design by Mike Minor (clear, and on point), props design by Kyle Conner (stark, simple, comprising a desk and a chair), hair and make-up design by Mia Yoshimoto (suitable for the era of the ‘70s, but looks like now).
The one-man “orchestra:” Young, the aforementioned pianist, who provides class-worthy accompaniment and supportive opening comments about Callas’ conduct and expectations.
Further notations:
I saw the original “Master Class,” staged at the Golden Theatre in 1995, and the play won 1996 Tony Awards, including Zoe Caldwell ( Best Actress in a play, for her portrayal of Maria Callas) and Audra McDonald (Best Featured Actress, enacting Sharon) and McNally scored the Best Play trophy.
The plot is said to include antics of other divas of the period (Leontyne Price, RenataScotto, and even possibly Joan Sutherland) and also features segments mentioning Aristotle Onassis, with whom Callas actually had an affair, but he moved on to Jackie Kennedy.
Curiously, “Master Class” goes down in history as a portrait of an operatic diva, whose luminous life and times included master-classing, who chats about singing, focuses on the art of singing, but doesn’t perform a single live note herself in this vehicle…
And that’s Show Biz…
‘Master Class’
What: A play by Terrence McNally, about Maria Callas and the master classes she headed, staged by Diamond Head Theatre
Showtimes: At 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays and 3 p.m. Saturdays, through Feb. 9
Found these neat paper florals and Valentine’s-themed images, and was able to create a limited number of stunning, cute Valentine’s pins that didn’t rely on traditional hearts but projected love in a very sweet way.. Wish I bought more! Lucky you, if you received one of these designs.
Manoa Valley Theatre just launched “What the Constitution Means To Me,” which opened Thursday (Jan. 23), in its Hawaii premiere.
And Diamond Head Theatre presents “Master Class,” a Tony Award-winning drama about opera diva Maria Callas in her element, debuting tonight (Jan. 24).
‘Constitution’
Melinda Moore as Heidi Schreck, in “Constitution.”
“Constitution,” playing through Feb. 2, is a drama by Heidi Schreck, which examines the U.S. Constitution and explores its impact across four generations of women.
At MVT, the journey involves Melinda Moore, theater director at Punahou School, portraying Schreck, who shares the limelight with Ava Zoto, her actual student, playing the Student Debater. They pore over the nation’s blueprint, exploring a multitude of constitutional ideals.
The cast also features Mathias Maas as Mike.
Jeanne Wynne Herring is director, Aly Sutton is stage manager Ashton Botts is the dramaturg, Vanessa Gould is assistant director, Michelle A. Bisbee is set designer, Willie Sabel is scenic artist, Rob Duval is prop designer, Chris Gouveia is lighting designer and master electrician, Janine Myers is master electrician 2, Sarah Velasco is sound designer/engineer, Amber Lehua Baker is costume director, and Denise-Aiko Chinen is assistant director and assistant stage manager.
Show times: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays, through Feb. 2. There also is a matinee at 3 p.m. Feb. 1. Tickets: $25 to $47. Reservations: (808) 988-6131 or manoavalleytheatre.com
‘Master Class’
“Master Class,” a drama by Terrence McNally, premieres at 7:30 p.m. today (Jan. 24) at Diamond Head Theatre. It continues through Feb. 9, without the usual extention.
The show focuses on Maria Callas, the opera diva, as an uncompromising master teacher at an elite opera training program. The plot is inspired by a series of real-life master classes delivered by Callas in her prime at Juilliard.
Her students, often hilariously crushed but profoundly inspired by the diva, are soulfully uplifted by Callas, who inspires and transports her pupils into untold boundaries of artistic sacrifice and quality.
Bryce Chaddick is directing.
The cast includes Amy K. Sullivan as Callas, David Young as Manny Weinstock, Georgine Stark as Sophie de Palma, Randy Tandal as the Stagehand, Anna Young as Sharon Graham, Kasey Nahlovsky as Anthony “Tony” Candolini and Jennifer Hamm as the understudy.
The production runs through Feb. 9. Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays and 3 p.m. Saturdays. Tickets: $41 through $68, at www.diamondheadtheatre.com and (808) 733-0274….
Broadway grosses, week ending Jan. 19
While “Wicked” remains atop the weekly gross of Broadway shows, there’s been a switcheroo at No. 2. “Hamilton” has moved up a slot.
