Joan Almedilla Will Lead MASTER CLASS at Sierra Madre Playhouse

Sierra Madre Playhouse will wrap its multi-week Lunar New Year celebration with Terrence McNally’s Tony Award-winning play Master Class, a gripping theatrical production inspired by the legendary masterclasses presented by iconic opera diva Maria Callas at Juilliard at the end of her career. Directed by Tim Dang and featuring Philippine-born Broadway star Joan Almedilla (Miss Saigon, Les Miserable, The King and I) as Maria Callas, the show runs for 16 performances from February 14 through March 9, 2025, at the historic Sierra Madre Playhouse.

Callas, in the play, commands the stage in a Juilliard masterclass where she offers cutting, humorous, and deeply insightful critiques to her eager-to-please students. While guiding her pupils – each with their own hopes and flaws – Callas reflects on her triumphs and tragedies, from her metamorphosis as a star to her volatile relationship with Aristotle Onassis. Through sharp wit and raw vulnerability, Callas reveals the personal and professional sacrifices required to pursue greatness. Her impassioned teachings and poignant reflections, remind us of the profound impact that art can have on individuals and society.

“Because Maria Callas’ artistry transcends cultures and continues to inspire people around the globe, Master Class provides a particularly poignant culmination to our Lunar New Year festival, which embraces the shared values that unite us all,” says Sierra Madre Playhouse Artistic and Executive Director Matt Cook. “Tim Dang, a superb director who creates transformative theatrical landscapes, and the entire cast, led by Joan Almedilla, who vividly embodies Maria Callas, infuse the production with tremendous humanity. The production also reflects Sierra Madre Playhouse’s commitment to offering a rich tapestry of programming for Lunar New Year that highlights how the themes of renewal and unity resonate within and beyond the broader Asian and Asian American communities.”

In addition to Almedilla, the cast includes Korean American soprano Joanna Kim (Sophie; 1st Soprano); actress Francesca Ling (Sharon; 2nd Soprano); opera singer Kurt Kanazawa (Tony; Tenor); composer/conductor/pianist Joshua Foy (Music Director/Manny, The Accompanist); Mexican American singer/actor Ricardo Mota (Stagehand/Tony understudy); Filipina American vocalist Mariah Rae (Sophie & Sharon understudy); Kit DeZolt (Stagehand understudy).

Almedilla has been hailed as a “phenomenal diva” (Deadline). In addition to her celebrated theatrical career, she has appeared in such films as Shatter Belt, Pam & Tommy, and Commencement.

Dang, of Chinese American descent and originally from Hawaii, served as the artistic director of East West Players from 1993 to 2016. He has also directed productions at Singapore Repertory Theatre, San Francisco’s Asian American Theater Company, and the Panasian Repertory Theatre in New York, among others.

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