Dunaway Filming "Master Class" in Detroit

http://www.playbill.com/playblog/?p=2037

Caldwell created one of the most extraordinary performances I have ever seen. Caldwell filled your soul with a love of art and an appreciation for humanity. Truly Miraculous.

Dunaway not only tortured her "students" but the audience as well. Same play, same set, same costumes, same director... but OY! Caldwell made you love theatre and art, Dunaway made you hate theatre and loathe art.

Still.. I'll be first in line to see it. Either way it promises to be memorable.

I hope she's using the Lucille Ball "cheesecloth and vaseline" method of filming, because the last time I saw Dunaway's face, it looked like a bag of dirty gym socks.

Seriously, what was Terrence McNally thinking selling the rights to her? Streisand could have done it. Streep could have done it. Any number of British actresses could have done it.

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Faye Dunaway as Maria Callas in MASTER CLASS:

I would have loved to see a film of this with a capable director behind the camera, and with a first rate actress as Callas. Dunaway used to be good...what happened to her? Needless to say, I no longer think of her as first rate. What next? The film version of SUNSET BLVD. finally starring Ms.Dunaway in the lead?

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Updated On: 8/31/11 at 06:08 PM

She didn't do the show in New York, just the tour.

http://www.sacnews.net/sacstage/master_r.html

Michael Bennett,

I saw Caldwell and Lupone multiple times, Dunaway 1 1/2 times.

As a showman and in-general performer I appreciate LuPone, as an actress I am not as enthusiastic. However, to be fair, LuPone did a splendid job. I remember McNally commenting that LuPone brought her innate sense of music to the stage, which I agree with.

LuPone's big handicap was following Caldwell. Replacing was something I recall she never did as a rule, but at the time to be ask to follow Caldwell was something of a complement.

Still, it was like looking at a light bulb after staring at the sun.

Dunaway, however, was literally frightening. I've come to believe that she equates good acting with being "hard"... just like some actors consider good acting being as "vulnerable" as possible. Two extremes.

Dunaway had no grasp of the humor or elegance of the piece. She was fierce, mean and volcanically abusive. While other actor understood that this Callas was tough for the love of art, Dunaway was almost sadistic and really seemed to be raging about something personal to Dunaway rather than Callas.

If the material itself had been hackneyed the performance would have been high camp. Instead Dunaway's severe performance leached any life and joy the audience had coming into the theatre.

The one moment I was hoping would work was when the young singer in the second act confronts Callas with the line " You just want to make it hard on us because it hard on you!" THAT was a moment when Dunaway could have slightly redeemed herself. All the other actors playing the role understood that to some degree Callas had to relfect on the truth of that statement. Instead Dunaway just ratcheted up the "hardness" and gave the impression that she would have physically assaulted the young girl if there weren't witnesses.

Updated On: 10/26/09 at 12:15 PM

Dunaway has always had a reputation for being what is quaintly called "difficult" even during her heyday in the 60s and 70s.

Her temperment is said to be hugely foul--as in amongst the very worst in all facets of show business.

Since she dropped in professional and public estimation beginning in about 1980 she has gone from A movies to B movies to an unsuccessful TV series to an unsuccessful memoir to virtually nothing. The tour of Master Class may have been her last well paying job which, it is said, she took if they would guarantee her the film. She alienated those holding the film rights and the Broadway management so much that the film version was put on the shelf. Who knows who is producing this movie?

Making this film could be a comeback or another fiasco.

In her favor, and I have not heard much in her favor, Andrew Lloyd Webber did not do her any favors when he cast her in Sunset Blvd knowing full well that she couldn't sing it. Not even close--no pun. She was in an untenable situation.

Faye Dunaway ought to be seen as a real cautionary tale.

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Updated On: 10/26/09 at 01:37 PM

I think Faye Dunaway's ego has alway rendered her a fairly selfish performer. I doubt this is intentional, but it sounds like it was ultimately the fatal flaw in her characterization of Callas. In fact the war between Callas ego, her art and her own insecurities is the driving force of conflict in MASTER CLASS. The vulnerability she experiences in the face of her ego (confronted) is the entire emotional journey of the character. If Faye didn't get that, no wonder she was doomed.

I also respect any performer who takes their career into their own hands and makes work for themselves. In this way I really admire Dunaway for even attempting this.

But I'm skeptical she has learned enough since her time performing the role to make the changes necessary to make the project work on film.

And Matt, I somehow am skeptical we will even ever have the chance of seeing the film.

"To clarify, you said 'Broadway show'!
You didn't say Cincinati. "

Sorry for the mistake in omitting that it was the Broadway Touring production.

I'm sure you'll agree that it's easy to make an omission here.

Like omitting one of the n's in Cincinnati.

Really what are the chances of a film starring and directed (and produced?) by Dunaway in 2009/2010 will get a distributor?

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Im looking foward to this movie. I think Faye Dunaway is a good actress. I keep reading that she doesn't get along with people very well, but what do I care. I don't know her in person, so her not getting along with other won't bother me. Im going to see the film for her acting and for the material. I think she will do a good job. I can't wait :)