Tucson, AZ-- Acclaimed Broadway veteran, actress, storyteller Ann Talman brings two brilliant performances to the Invisible Theatre in May. Continuing its landmark and acclaimed 52nd season, these two intimate stories close the 2023-24 season in a beautiful way,
In her cabaret show, ELIZABETH TAYLOR AND THE SHADOW OF HER SMILE, Ann tells the story of her friendship with the late Elizabeth Taylor. She joined Actors’ Equity with co-star Elizabeth Taylor in 1981 when she landed the plum role in The Little Foxes playing Taylor’s daughter on Broadway. The show traveled the world for eighteen months and their loving friendship lasted for the rest of Miss Taylor’s life. ELIZABETH TAYLOR AND THE SHADOW OF HER SMILE is directed by Bistro and MAC Award winner Lina Koutrakos with musical direction by Alex Rybeck. The show received critical and audience acclaim when it debuted at 54 Below in March 2022 and then again when it enjoyed a two-night encore engagement the following September 2022. It has played The Laurie Beechman, Feinstein’s Hotel Carmichael in Carmel, IN, Feinstein’s Hotel Nikko in San Fran, Chicago’s Davenports, and Joe Brancato’s Penguin Rep Theatre. The show is an evening of story and song about Ann and Elizabeth’s amazing bond. It is filled with hilarious and touching stories that only Ann can tell, woven with Broadway and Great American Songbook gems. Ann’s imitation of Elizabeth is so spot on, if you close your eyes, you’ll swear they’re together again! The show runs for 85 minutes with no intermission and is rated PG High School.
“Elizabeth loved cabaret,” says Ms. Talman. “If she were alive, she'd be here right now holding court!" “I had the great pleasure of seeing Annie’s beautiful, poignant, and funny show,” shares actress Kate Burton. “She nailed the gleaming and mercurial light that was my stepmother! I laughed and cried in equal measure.”
“An evening of theater that is personal, intimate, authentic, and incredibly funny...Being in the room with Talman and hearing her talk in Taylor’s voice was akin to being in the room with Elizabeth Taylor herself.” - Stephen Mosher, Broadway World
The show will be presented at the Invisible Theatre at 7:30pm on Friday, May 17 and at 2pm and 7:30pm on May 18. Tickets for all performances are $40. Group discounts are available. For tickets and additional information please call (520) 882-9721 or visit www.invisibletheatre.com.
ABOUT WOODY’S ORDER
In WOODY’S ORDER! Ann shares her story in this acclaimed multi-media presentation based on actual events from an extraordinary life. Woody was eight when he asked his parents for a sibling, the only way a bright, nonverbal, cerebral palsied boy could – he pointed to Mom's tummy and Dad’s lap. The result: Ann – an actress/comedian torn between her Broadway career (playing Elizabeth Taylor's daughter) and being her brother's loving caregiver. How do you live your own life when you're “Woody’s Order”?
A portion of the proceeds from this show will benefit Tucson's Adiba Nelson, a single mom with her amazing daughter Emory. Experienced author, speaker, and Founder of RocketChair Productions, Adiba is working to change the landscape of mainstream media to include accurate and appropriate representation of individuals with disabilities and importance of inclusion and accessibility in the realm of disability. Woody's Order is at Invisible Theatre for one performance on Sunday, May 19 at 2 pm.
ABOUT THE PEOPLE
Ann Talman is a 4-time Broadway veteran, actress, storyteller, and documentary filmmaker based in New York City. She made her stage debut in 1981 in the Broadway production of The Little Foxes with Elizabeth Taylor, portraying her daughter, Alexandra. Following the engagement, she toured with Ms. Taylor in the production for 18 months with stops in Ft. Lauderdale, Washington, D.C. (The Kennedy Center), New Orleans, as well as London’s West End. Her stage credits include Yours, Anne, The House of Blue Leaves, Carnival, Some Americans Abroad, and the Broadway revival of The Women. Ms. Talman has appeared in several motion pictures including Serendipity, Limitless, and Wall Street. Television credits include guest starring roles on “Seinfeld,” “Ellen,” “Murphy Brown,” “The Street” and “Law & Order,” and a year on “General Hospital,” among others. She wrote, starred in and produced the multiple award-winning documentary film Woody’s Order! based on her solo play about her lifelong dedication to her older brother Woody who lived a full life with cerebral palsy. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. She has toured the country as a storyteller sharing her very personal and touching tales which she plans to compile for an upcoming book. https://www.anntalman.com/
Lina Koutrakos (director) is an award winning and accomplished singer/songwriter/teacher/director based in New York City. As a singer, she has been repeatedly rave reviewed from The New York Times to Billboard Magazine in both rock and roll and cabaret and has been awarded Cabaret's most prestigious awards for “Best Female Vocalist” and “Entertainer of the Year,” repeatedly. For 3 decades Koutrakos has been a New York City musical fixture - as both soloist and as a director and performance coach. Her directorial nods include being a 4-time winner for “Best Director” from the MAC Association and she is a lifetime Backstage Bistro Award-Winner for “Best Director,” as well. Koutrakos was on staff as a Master Teacher for years at both the Eugene O'Neill Cabaret Symposium and The Yale Cabaret Conference. She was the first Master Teacher with The St Louis Cabaret Conference and co-founded NYC’s Summer in the City yearly workshop on weekends. She has since gone on to start her own performance workshop “Performance Connection,” which umbrellas many ongoing and specialty workshops and seminars now both online and in person. The Advance Performance Workshop in NYC has produced many award-winning performers and shows over the last 2 decades. Her singing and being the founder of the Midwest Cabaret Conference in Chicago for 10 years won her the “Gold Coast” Award with the Chicago Cabaret Professionals in 2019. She spearheads a now annual advanced performance workshop on the island of Mykonos. From performance workshops with full bands to one-on-one clients across the U.S., to her own award-winning original material and one woman shows, it’s no wonder Koutrakos is referred to as a “Walking Master Class” by Billboard Magazine as both singer and director.
Alex Rybeck (musical director) is a music director, composer, arranger, and pianist, best known for his work in concerts and cabarets, on recordings, and in the theater. Broadway credits include Merrily We Roll Along (directed by Hal Prince), Grand Hotel (directed by Tommy Tune), and others. He has also worked with Susan Stroman (Flora the Red Menace) and Patricia Birch (Really Rosie). Regionally, his work on “What the World Needs Now”, starring Sutton Foster, won him personal praise from Burt Bacharach. After growing up in the suburbs of Washington, DC, and attending Oberlin College, he moved to New York City, where he was mentored by Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Schwartz while attending NYU's Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program. Among the many artists he has worked with are such legends as George Abbott, Metropolitan Opera diva Roberta Peters, "Voice of Hollywood" Marni Nixon, Eartha Kitt, The McGuire Sisters, Julie Wilson, and Kitty Carlisle Hart. He has also enjoyed meaningful collaborations with Faith Prince, Liz and Ann Hampton Callaway, Jane Olivor, Karen Mason, Sharon McNight, Jeff Harnar, Donna McKechnie, Ann Kittredge, Jason Graae, Lee Roy Reams, Tovah Feldshuh, Rita Gardner, Roslyn Kind, Amanda McBroom, and many, many others. His original song "What a Funny Boy He Is" was recorded by the late Nancy LaMott. He has received numerous awards and honors (MAC, Bistro, Nightlife, Billboard, and Broadway World) as music director and songwriter. As a highly sought after coach, he has taught master classes in NYC, L.A., and DC, as well as at Yale, Harvard, Northwestern, Queensland Conservatorium (Brisbane) and the New Zealand Singing School.
THE INVISIBLE THEATRE
The Invisible Theatre (IT) of Tucson, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, is located at 1400 N. First Avenue (at Drachman), Tucson, AZ 85719 and is dedicated to producing quality theatre and arts education experiences for all facets of the community, in an intimate setting that showcases local professional talent and guest artists. Started in 1971 as an arena for local playwrights, the theatre has expanded its programs to include adaptations of classics and recent off- Broadway plays and musicals, while continuing to encourage new playwrights through both full productions and stage readings. Our award-winning arts education program for special needs children focuses on ability rather than dwelling on disability. Our commitment to artistic excellence, diversity, equity, inclusion and quality has made the Invisible Theatre a very visible force in the local, national, and international arts scene.
Tickets are also available 24/7 through Audience View at www.invisibletheatre.com. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express are accepted. Online Media Assets: Attached photos: Elizabeth Taylor and Ann Talman from "Little Foxes" and Ann and Woody as children. Additional production photos are available at invisibletheatre.com or contact Norma Gentry at norma@pvincaz.com.
COVID PROTOCOLS
The health and safety of our artists, audiences and staff continues to be our top priority. While masks, full vaccination and booster shots are no longer required, these health and safety measures are subject to change, at Invisible Theatre’s sole discretion and are based on evolving health and safety guidance and conditions.
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