STAGE TUBE: Holland Taylor Talks Playing Ann Richards in Broadway's ANN

ANN, a new play written and performed by Emmy Award-winning actress Holland Taylor, will begin previews on Broadway at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theater (150 West 65 Street) Monday, February 18, 2013 at 8pm, and will open Thursday, March 7, 2013. Taylor, who stars as Ann Richards, the legendary late governor of Texas, discusses the role in the video below. Click to watch!

Directed by Benjamin Endsley Klein, Ann has scenic design by Michael Fagin, costume design by Julie Weiss, lighting design by Matthew Richards, sound design by Ken Huncovsky, projection design by Zachary Borovay, wig design by Paul Huntley, and is produced by Bob Boyett and Harriet Newman Leve with co-producers Jane Dubin, Jack Thomas, Amy Danis, Mark Johannes, Sarahbeth Grossman, Anne O'Shea and Jon Cryer in association with Lincoln Center Theater. Ann is executive produced by Kevin Bailey.

ANN is an inspiring, hilarious, no-holds barred new play that brings us face to face with a complex, colorful and captivating character bigger than the state from which she hailed, Ann Richards the legendary late Governor of Texas. Holland Taylor steps into the shoes of the impassioned Governor who dedicated her life to empowering, expanding and enriching the lives of her constituents, friends and family.

ANN began as a project and quest for Taylor to understand what it was about this housewife, mother, grandmother, leader and iconic patriot that affected so many people so deeply. Writing the play became a four year journey for Taylor, crisscrossing the country, interviewing people who knew the Governor, watching countless hours of video coverage, and pouring over reams of Richards' personal and public papers at the University of Texas. In the end, her greatest resources were the family, friends, staff and colleagues of the Governor who allowed Holland to know Ann Richards as they knew her.

ANN played to sold-out audiences at Galveston's Grand 1894 Opera House in the summer of 2010, San Antonio's Empire Theatre in the fall of 2010, and Austin's Paramount Theatre in the spring of 2011. In the fall of 2011 the new play opened to critical acclaim at Chicago's Bank of America Theatre, and went on to have a smash hit run at Washington DC's Kennedy Center in winter of 2011/2012.

Watch the video below!

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