"Ann" by Prime Productions at The Howard Conn Theater

I'm not sure I'd ever heard of Texas governor Ann Richards, only the second woman to hold that position. I didn't pay much attention to politics when I was in high school, so I missed her keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention, which propelled her to being elected governor, a position she held for one term in the early '90s. Leave it to Prime Productions, a #TCTheater company that features women in their prime, to bring us this inspiring and extremely timely story of a woman leader who knew how to get things done. Ann premiered on Broadway in 2013, written by and starring Holland Taylor, and Prime has wisely tapped #TCTheater veteran Angela Timberman to play the role. Ann is funny and feisty and whip-smart, and Angela conveys all of that and more. Prime Productions is partnering with local "get out the vote" organizations, with information about how to vote included in the program, making this show about more than just theater. See Ann at the Howard Conn Theater in South Minneapolis now through September 22, get inspired, get involved, and vote!

Ann begins at a commencement address, with former governor Ann Richards speaking directly to the audience as if we were the graduates. This is a great way to open the play as it gets us engaged in the story right away. She tells us about growing up in a small town in Texas, moving to the big city of San Diego as a child when her father enlisted and was stationed there, her marriage to her high school sweetheart and Civil Rights lawyer, and her life as a devoted mother and wife. She was always involved in politics, running local political campaigns and advocating for city improvements, and eventually, at the encouragement of friends, put herself in the position of candidate, moving from city council to State Treasurer to Governor. This is when the scene shifts and we see Ann at her governor's desk, yelling at her off-screen assistant (voiced by Bonni Allen), fielding phone call after phone call, dealing with everything from trying to corral her four grown children for a family weekend to deciding whether to call for a stay of execution for a violent criminal on death row. And she does it all with toughness and quips and humanity.

Angela Timberman is Ann (photo by Dan Norman)

In her second solo show of the year (see also the devastatingly beautiful Apples in Winter, produced by Gremlin Theatre this spring) Angela Timberman embodies the tough-talking no-nonsense politician (and her famous silver coif and Texas drawl). Angela brings her great sense of comedy to this role, performing with a twinkle in her eye, but also conveys the toughness in Ann's character, and in the things she had to deal with in her life. She's very personable and engaging, responding to the audience's response to her. Ellen Fenster-Gharib directs the piece with vitality, balancing the humor with the serious topics. A solo play in which one person basically talks to the audience for 110 minutes (including intermission) could get boring, but this one isn't because of the dynamic staging.

The Howard Conn Theater (in Plymouth Congregational Church) has an auditorium feel, so it's the perfect setting for this play. The stage starts out empty except for a podium on one side and an armchair on the other, with a few images displayed on the large screen to show us Ann's past. Then a huge and cluttered desk is rolled out, complete with a vintage '90s corded phone (and shoulder rest). Ann's neat white suit matches her hair; she looks every bit the elegant Southern woman and politician (costume design by Rich Hamson, wig design by Tracy Swenson).

Ann harkens back to a time in our government in which public servants (as Ann frequently refers to herself) worked together for the good of the people. Maybe that's naive, maybe there was always partisanship and corruption, but it feels like we've reached the height of that now. But maybe we can start to swing the pendulum back the other way. Ann reminds us that the government is our government, and we need to hold elected officials accountable for the things they promised. And maybe we need to put a smart and capable woman in charge to get things back on track, like Ann did.

If you live in Minnesota, visit mnvotes.gov to register to vote, find your polling place, and get other important information about how you can vote and make your voice heard. Ann would want you to. No, she would insist upon it!

Prime Productions is hosting several post-show discussions related to the themes of the play:

View the trailer for Ann: