www.AnnTalman.com

2023 MAC Award BEST FEMALE DEBUT

2023 BISTRO Award OUTSTANDING MUSICAL MEMOIR

2023 TOP 10 CABARETS TIMES SQUARE CHRONICLES

Ann Talman is an actor, singer, storyteller, award winning documentary filmmaker, and four-time Broadway veteran. 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. Ann’s new cabaret show, Elizabeth Taylor and The Shadow of Her Smile, is directed by Bistro and MAC Award winners 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, Joe Brancato’s The Penguin Rep, The Delray Beach Playhouse, The Westport Country Playhouse, Tucson’s Invisible Theatre, DC’s The Liz, and will be soon appearing in London, The Austin Cabaret Theatre, Theatre Jacksonville, DC’s National Arts Club, and ACT 2PV The Red Room, Puerta Vallarta, Mexico, in 2025.

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!

“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.”

“I had a wonderful time watching this catchy, revealing and tuneful tribute to a time well spent with one of the screen's most revered icons.  I could see ‘Elizabeth Taylor and the Shadow of Her Smile’ again and again.  It's a unique and delightful experience!”  – Rex Reed 2/25/24

“This beautiful show has been co-crafted with Lina Koutrakos, whose subtle guidance and direction pay off splendidly. Matched with musical director Alex Rybeck—always right on the money—all the song choices are perfectly in tune with the journey. A wonderful singer, Talman has developed her tribute show weaving her own personal story alongside the advice and gift of friendship Taylor bestowed upon her. Not only renowned for her personal generosity and philanthropic endeavors on a global scale, but Taylor also had the reputation for being hysterically funny, and the stories Talman shares here are gems.”  – Ron Fassler, Theater Pizzazz 12/2/24

“Talman sparkled in a stunning sequined dress, captivating the audience from the very first note with her stunning voice and impeccable stage presence. With a combination of intimate anecdotes and stirring songs, Talman shared the story of her unique bond with Taylor, highlighting their friendship and the shared memories they created. Talman’s storytelling was masterful—her characterizations were vivid and engaging, drawing the audience into the warm and touching world she and Taylor inhabited. Talman’s show was filled with gems, from the lush arrangements by Alex Rybeck to her vibrant delivery of songs like "Once in a Lifetime" (Bricusse/Newley) and "If My Friends Could See Me Now" (Fields/Coleman). Each piece was given a fresh and passionate interpretation, with Rybeck’s glorious work on the keys adding depth and emotion to the evening. A particularly stunning moment was Talman’s rendition of Amanda McBroom's "Ship in a Bottle," a poignant and reflective piece that left the audience captivated. The delightful version of Gershwin’s "They Can’t Take That Away from Me," showcased Talman’s ability to infuse her performances with both charm and joy. Her take on Sondheim's "Send in The Clowns" was tremendous.”  – Analisa Bell, Broadway World 12/3/24

“That she can put the best parts of her life to music and then spread it around the continent like sweetened cream is a gift for us all to enjoy.”  – Marcia Blondin, NiteLife Exchange 3/1/25

“Some performances entertain, some captivate, but only a rare few leave an imprint on the heart—Ann Talman’s Elizabeth Taylor and the Shadow of Her Smile is one of those rare gems. From the moment she steps onto the stage, Ann Talman commands the room with grace, humor, and an undeniable star quality. This is not just a cabaret performance—it is a deeply personal, exquisitely told story of friendship, fate, and the kind of Hollywood magic that only a legend like Elizabeth Taylor could inspire. At the heart of this production is the brilliant musical direction and accompaniment of Alex Rybeck, whose masterful touch at the piano elevates every note, every lyric, every emotion. His seamless synergy with Talman makes the performance not just a show, but a captivating experience that lingers in the soul. Together, they create musical storytelling at its finest—rich, evocative, and deeply moving.”  – Tribune Travel 3/2/25

MORE ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Ann Talman is a 4-time Broadway veteran, actress, storyteller and documentary film maker 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,” “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. www.AnnTalman.com.

Lina Koutrakos 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 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 BroadwayWorld) 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.

“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, BroadwayWorld

“Magic at work. Immaculately executed.”  – Charles Nelson, BistroAwards