The first elected female Governor of Texas
“My campaign was the most stressful thing I have ever done in my entire life, well other than teach junior high school!” Holland Taylor as Texas Governor Ann Richards.
Ann Richards was larger than life, she was the epitome of Texas, big, bold and brash, but with a fantastic sense of humor. Ann Richards was the first elected female Governor of Texas and last Democratic Governor of Texas. She started her career a school teacher and went on the become the memorable politician who Holland Taylor plays in a production called Ann that can be streamed on PBS.
Ann opens at the graduation speech for a group of college students. The speech becomes an overview of Ann Richard’s life, often drawing rapturous applause from the viewing audience. It highlights her life in politics, the toll it took on her and how after all these years working with elected officials she is still proud of the work that she achieved, of course all told with a dirty joke or two and the occasional swear word, that is bleeped by PBS.
Written by Holland Taylor, Ann, is a well rounded production that highlights the humorous character that is Ann Richards and the day in her life as a politician. The production is a comedy but also underlines the accomplishments she achieved as a woman in such a powerful position but also her pride for the state she was born and raised and lived most of her life.
Directed by Benjamin Endsley Klein this production is not designed to whet your appetite and make you want to chase a career in politics. But it has been created to highlight the career of a very strong and determined woman who lead the charge for change and equality for women.
Holland Taylor is a powerhouse. No matter what she has been in from Hollywood, to The Truman Show to Two and a Half Men, she goes from strength to strength. Her portrayal of Ann Richards is iconic, the mannerisms, accent and posture, you almost think you are watching the actual elected official on stage.
With no date in sight for the reopening of theaters during the Covid pandemic, instead of missing some great theater there are networks like PBS that are making numerous performances available on their streaming platforms and websites.
Ann is funny, endearing, genuine and a lot of good fun. At a time when the idea of watching a play about politics would make your skin crawl. Ann is entertaining and will make you forget everything that is going on in the world for almost 2 hours.
Ann is currently streaming in pbs.org
