Theatre In The Park recently announced their upcoming 2009 – 2010 season. It all begins on August 14 with the opening of Master Class , the 1996 Tony Award winning play, by Terrence McNally. It will feature local actor Lynda Clark as Maria Callas, a New York-born Greek soprano and one of the most renowned opera singers of the twentieth century. Master Class is a story, not about opera, but about life and sacrifices made in the name of art. Lynda Clark brings to the stage over 20 years of experience, most recently sharing the stage at TIP with Ira David Wood III in Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet .

“The role of Maria Callas is one of the biggest challenges of my career to date. The line load alone, as Maria talks, teaches and tirades, is absolutely incredible – a monstrous undertaking,” said Lynda Clark. This performance also features Katherine Anderson, Antonio Delgadillo and Rozlyn Sorrell.

The complete schedule includes:

• Master Class by Terrence McNally – August 14-16 & 20-23
• Don’t Cry for Me, Margaret Mitchell by Duke Ernsberger & Virginia Cate – February 12-14 & 18-21
• Doubt by John Patrick Shanley – April 9-11 & 15-18, 2010
• November by David Mamet – June 4-6 & 10-13, 2010

Additionally, an extra performance is being added to the local production run of A Christmas Carol in Raleigh’s Memorial Auditorium. The additional performance is scheduled for Sunday, December 13 ^th at 7:00PM.