Two plays about pivotal Texas politicians have recently made quite a splash. One is “All the Way” about former president Lyndon B. Johnson, which was recently performed at Zach theatre in Austin and adapted for television by HBO to air on May 21. The other is “Ann”, a one-woman show about former Texas governor Ann Richards, which is currently showing at Zach.
“All the Way” was written by Robert Schenkkan and takes its name from President Johnson’s 1964 campaign slogan, “All the Way with LBJ.” It’s the fascinating story of Johnson’s attempts to enact the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Winner of both the Tony Award and Drama Desk award for Outstanding Play, actor Bryan Cranston, best known for his role as Walter White in the hit television series Breaking Bad, also won a Tony for his performance. Cranston will be reprising his role of LBJ for the television drama.
Former Texas governor Ann Richards was another of the most unforgettable personalities in Texas politics. Tough and witty, she rocketed to national prominence in 1988 when she gave the keynote address, now recognized as historically significant, at the Democratic National Convention. Two years later in 1990, Richards was only the second woman to serve as Texas governor. The first, Miriam “Ma” Ferguson, was elected in 1924 as a stand-in for her husband and former governor James “Pa” Ferguson after he was incarcerated.
Playwright and actress Holland Taylor, who wrote the script and portrays Richards in the show, said of her subject, “She was brave, strong, and funny – Bill Clinton has said she was the wittiest person he’d ever met! She ran as a liberal in conservative Texas, so I had to write a play about her four incredible years in Austin.”
You can find “All the Way” and “Ann” at the Kyle Public Library, along with biographical material on each fascinating figure.