THEATRE + COMEDY

The Grand 1894 Opera House presents Money, Marbles & Chalk: An Affectionate Sketch of Ann Richards.  Money, Marbles, and Chalk!, an affectionate sketch of Ann Richards is a one-woman show starring Emmy Award-winning stage and screen actress Holland Taylor (pictured). Money, Marbles, and Chalk! celebrates Ann Richards - a darling daughter of Texas and runs for a limited engagement May 14–16, 2010.

“Texans know Ann Richards is a legend in her own right, and Holland’s three years of impressive research have culminated in a fantastic portrait of this incredible woman,” states Maureen Patton, executive director of The Grand. “Consider this warm, entertaining evening ‘continuing education’ on Texas mythology and Richards’ life teachings.”

Money, Marbles, and Chalk! is a play in two acts that sprang from the desire to understand and reveal the essence of this iconic American woman. Neither narrative nor history, this evening is meant to do what the theatre does best—recreate a time lost to us by taking us somewhere we could never really be.

Money, Marbles, and Chalk! began as the “project” of a fan, someone who had, like most people, admired the Governor from afar. But writing the play became a journey impossibly rich—a quest to understand what it was about this down-home and fun woman, mother, grandmother and one-term Governor of Texas, that affected so many people so deeply.

Emmy-award winning stage and screen actress Holland Taylor spent three years doing the extensive research that forms the basis of this play, crisscrossing the country interviewing people who knew the Governor, watching countless hours of video coverage, and, thanks to the University of Texas Archives, poring over reams of Richards’ personal and public papers. Taylor's greatest resources, however, were the family, friends, staff and colleagues of Governor Richards, who were unfailingly helpful, kind, and tolerant—and who allowed her to “know” the Governor through them.

“Money, Marbles, and Chalk!” is an old blues expression meaning "I'm all in, you can count on me for all I've got." While the phrase is often associated with LBJ, Ann Richards was known to use it, and it's fair to say it goes beyond the world of politics and carries the flavor of her whole life. Was there ever any one who gave their all more than Ann?

Tickets for Money, Marbles, and Chalk! are $34–$54, on sale February 5th at The Grand’s box office and online at www.thegrand.com.   For information about this and other performances scheduled, contact The Grand's box office at 409.765.1894, 800.821.1894, or visit The Grand’s web site at www.thegrand.com. The Grand is located at 2020 Postoffice Street, in historic downtown Galveston. All major credit cards accepted.

About Holland Taylor: The New Yorker has called Holland Taylor “the first vaudeville Gentile we ever saw.” A veteran of the stage, Hollywood, and television, her long list of credits includes Baby Mama, Legally Blonde, Romancing the Stone, The Practice, and, currently, 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.

Holland is active at the Stella Adler Schools, and has given talks about the work and cultural contribution of this great teacher.