ANN's Holland Taylor Named 'Fearless Woman' by Newsweek

Holland Taylor has been named one of Newsweek's "150 Fearless Women," along with Hillary Clinton, Meryl Streep, Marie Colvin, Adele, Gabrielle Giffords, Angelina Jolie, Kirstin Gillibrand, Angela Merkel, Andrea Mitchell, Lady Gaga, Serena Williams, Kristen Wiig and Orpah Winfrey. The Emmy Award-winning Ms. Taylor received the award not only for her "critically acclaimed roles on film stage and television," but also for the play ANN, "an ode to the feisty late governor of Texas, which Taylor wrote and acts in." The play premiered in Texas, just finished a critically acclaimed pre-Broadway run in Chicago and Washington, D.C..

In addition Ms. Taylor will be speaking on Friday, March 9 at the Women in the World Summit hosted by Newsweek and The Daily Beast at The David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center at 9am. Ms. Taylor's seminar is titled, "Holland Taylor as Governor Ann Richards: Ladies You Must Participate!"

ANN, a new play written and performed by Emmy Award-winning actress Holland Taylor, is a no holds barred portrait of the unforgettable Governor of the Lone Star State, Ann Richards. Directed by Benjamin Klein, with scenic design by Michael Fagin, costume design by Julie Weiss, lighting design by Matthew Richards, projection design by Zachary Borovay, sound design by Ken Huncovsky and wig design by Paul Huntley, ANN is produced by Bob Boyett.

Holland Taylor steps into the shoes of Ann Richards, the impassioned Governor of Texas who dedicated her life to empowering, expanding and enriching the lives of her constituents, friends and family. ANN is an inspiring and hilarious play that brings you face to face with a complex, colorful and captivating character bigger than the state from which she hailed. Holland takes the audience on a journey, swirling together the past and present to reunite Ann Richards with old friends and introduce her to a new generation.

ANN began as a "project" and quest for Holland 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 three year journey for Holland, 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.

No stranger to playing strong women, Holland Taylor has performed on stage, screen and television portraying a range of characters as varied as a Harvard law professor in Legally Blonde, a sultry judge in The Practice (Supporting Actress Emmy® for Drama) and the mother of Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer in Two and a Half Men. Taylor has also played both ends of the political spectrum with conviction, from conservative Nancy Reagan on the right to Ann Richards on the left. The New Yorker has called Holland Taylor "the first vaudeville Gentile we ever saw." Her long list of credits includes Baby Mama, Romancing the Stone and can currently be seen on CBS's top?rated Two and a Half Men. Her New York stage performances include Bess in Breakfast with Les and Bess, the original productions of Butley opposite Alan Bates, and A.R. Gurney's The Cocktail Hour. Taylor is active at the Stella Adler Schools and has given talks about the work and cultural contribution of this great teacher.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos