Master Class
By Terrence McNally
Directed by Nathaniel Merchant
Harrisburg Opera, Harrisburg, PA
Review by Zachary Lewis

"'Class' revives diva's spirit...Harrisburg Opera gives intimate glimpse of Callas."

"...director Nathaniel Merchant had a keen understanding of the script as well as complete confidence in his cast. How delightful to watch high-spirited actors cheerfully chew the scenery. How refreshing to hear them taste the words rather than merely recite the lines. Merchant allowed the actors to savor each scene, and such trust rewarded both the cast and the audience."

"...the direction, by Nathaniel Merchant, is always sharp, highlighting the jokes well, keeping the story in focus and moving at a fast pace."

"This humane, sophisticated comedy of character often suffers from sledgehammer productions in large houses, and it was a pleasure to see it presented with well-chosen and accomplished simplicity of gesture (Nathaniel Merchant directed) and staging..."

"To say that Director Nate Merchant gave us a mostly no-nonsense performance is certainly not to say that the evening was without belly laughs and guffaws. Indeed Merchant divined bits of humor in unexpected places and had everyone smiling. His characters were well developed and movement on stage was fluid and musical. All in all, nicely done."