Preview of “Elizabeth Taylor and the Shadow of Her Smile”

Press release

Westport Country Playhouse will present a cabaret evening, “Ann Talman: Elizabeth Taylor and the Shadow of Her Smile,” as part of the new Barnstormer Series in the Lucille Lortel White Barn Center, on Sunday, April 21, at 7 p.m. Winner of the 2023 Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC) Award for Best Female Debut and the 2023 Bistro Award for Outstanding Musical Memoir, the show is headlined by Ann Talman, actor, singer, storyteller, award-winning documentary filmmaker, and four-time Broadway veteran.

Talman co-starred with Elizabeth Taylor in the 1981 Broadway production of “The Little Foxes,” playing Taylor’s daughter. “The Shadow of Her Smile” explores Talman’s relationship with the late screen icon Taylor through hilarious and touching anecdotes, woven with classic Broadway and Great American Songbook gems.

“Elizabeth Taylor and The Shadow of Her Smile” is directed by Lina Koutrakos with musical direction by Alex Rybeck, both Bistro and MAC Award winners. The show received critical and audience acclaim when it debuted at 54 Below in March 2022, followed by a two-night encore engagement in September 2022. It has played The Laurie Beechman, Feinstein’s Hotel Carmichael in Carmel, IN, Feinstein’s Hotel Nikko in San Francisco, Chicago’s Davenport’s, Joe Brancato’s The Penguin Rep, and at The World AIDS Day Gala in December 2023 at The Liz in Washington, D.C.

Talman’s other stage credits include Broadway’s “The House of Blue Leaves,” “Some Americans Abroad,” and the revival of “The Women.” She was also in “Yours, Anne,” “Carnival,” “Steel Magnolias,” “The Cocktail Hour,” “Picnic,” “Dangerous Liaisons,” “The Diary of Anne Frank,” “Citizens Market,” “Murderers,” and “All in the Timing.” Talman has appeared in several motion pictures including “Serendipity,” “Limitless,” and “Archeology of a Woman and Wall Street.” Television credits include guest starring roles on “Seinfeld,” “Ellen,” “Love & War,” “Murphy Brown,” “The Street,” “Law & Order” and a year on “General Hospital,” among others.

Talman 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 and was up for an Oscar in 2018. She has toured the country as a storyteller sharing her very personal and touching tales which she has compiled for the upcoming book, “Woody’s Order!” She is a Founding Member of The New Group.

Running time for “Elizabeth Taylor and The Shadow of Her Smile” is 70 minutes; no intermission. For full details, visit: https://www.westportplayhouse.org/show/barnstormer-ann-talman/

Tickets are $20; general admission; seating unreserved. Snacks and beverages will be available for purchase by credit card or cash inside the Lucile Lortel White Barn Center before the start of the show.

Media sponsors are Moffly Media and WSHU Public Radio. Westport Country Playhouse is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

The new Barmstormer series features small events in the Lucille Lortel White Barn, located adjacent to the Playhouse. From music to playreadings, Barnstormer provides an opportunity for artists, many of whom are from our local community, to exercise their creative muscle in a cozy and intimate setting. The inspiration for the Barnstormer series came last September when the Lucille Lortel White Barn was the setting for the launch of Laurence Maslon’s new book, “I’ll Drink to That!,” with a relaxed evening of cocktails, songs, and scenes from Broadway.

A complete schedule of Playhouse events is available at westportplayhouse.org. All play titles, artists, dates, and times are subject to change.

For Westport Country Playhouse information and tickets, visit westportplayhouse.org or call the box office at (203) 227-4177, toll-free at 1-888-927-7529. Stay connected to the Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse), Instagram (wcplayhouse), and YouTube (WestportPlayhouse). Westport Country Playhouse is located at 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport.