The Wonder of Ann

Last year just before The Tony’s The Husband and I saw Once. I came home and gushed about it. It then was nominated for 11 Tony’s and won Best New Musical. I felt super-smart.

A few weeks ago when my sister was visiting, we went to see Ann-The Ann Richards Play at Lincoln Center. When we left I said to my sister, “The only thing I know for sure about that show is that it was riveting. Holland Taylor actually became Ann Richards.”

Let me be honest and say I kind of had a girl crush on Ann Richards back in the day. When she was the Governor of Texas, I was just old enough to have started paying attention to this sort of thing and even I understood a woman winning that title was a pretty damn big deal. So I watched her, and was fascinated. I even ran into her once in an airport and had a total moment-flops sweats and all-of pure celebrity adoration. It was awesome.

Needless to say, when asked to see a play about Ms. Richards, I said yes without knowing anything else. Ann Richards as the subject was enough for me. I worried about having to write a review though, because I wasn’t sure if I’d be biased about the play due to my love of the subject.

Here’s the thing; the overwhelming feeling I got leaving the theater was that Holland Taylor became Ann Richards and Ann Richards has great stories to tell. I mean, it was as if Ms. Taylor literally transformed on stage and we were taken back in time to live a few days as voyeurs on Ann Richard’s life

Holland Taylor, who you might know as Jon Cryer’s (and once Charlie Sheen’s) snobby, clingy mom on Two and a Half Men, became the Governor of Texas for the crowd at Lincoln Center that night and The Governor has some funny, poignant and riveting stories to tell. I knew, love of subject matter or not, I was witnessing something special in that theater. I can say without concern of bias that yes, everyone should see this play, whether they know who the heck Ann Richards is or not.

Last week, Holland Taylor was nominated for a Tony. Feeling pretty smart again, my friends. Pretty-darn smart.

I was given two tickets to Ann for review. All opinions are my own.