ART BEAT

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SAM GOODYEAR

In a paraphrase of a well-known plea, someone struggling to make his way in the arts once quipped, “If I become famous, please don’t forget me.”
Leatherstocking Theatre Company has not forgotten Ann Matthers Taylor, nor is it likely ever to do so, no matter how eminent she has become. She is director of LTC’s first production this summer, A.R. Gurney’s “The Dining Room.”
Ms. Taylor was born in Cooperstown(the plaque noting this fact has not yet been put up) and grew up in Morris, where her father was an Episcopal minister.
Apart from the normal, and not unimportant, dramatic presentations elementary school children participate in, she got her first “big break” at age 8 when Glimmerglass Opera founder Peter Macris engaged her to appear in the 1976 production of Flotow’s “Martha.”
Shortly thereafter, her family moved to a new church posting in Massey, Md. But the pull of Otsego County was strong and Dinah Matthers, Ann’s mother, returned summer after summer To be Properties Mistress for Glimmerglass, still in its early days. Ann accompanied her and found herself appearing in opera after opera, first in children’s choruses, then later in the adult chorus. When asked recently how many productions she was in at Glimmerglass, she was momentarily taken aback in puzzlement and perplexity. Thinking further, she began to enumerate this opera and that opera, and then there was a period when she worked backstage, then this other production came along... Quite simply, she has lost count. Not bad!
In addition to the opportunities at Glimmerglass, it was not long before Orpheus Theatre founder Peter Macris engaged her yet again, this time to play the role of Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz.” She also appeared in “Annie” and “The King and I.” (Let us note that Ann not only has considerable stage presence, but a beautiful voice as well.)
She is now chair of the Arts Department at the prestigious St. Andrew’s School (her alma mater, Class of 1986) in Middletown, Del. She leaves the painting and music instruction to her colleagues and is, herself, The Theater Department. She not only conducts bona fide acting classes and courses in public speaking, she has to her credit (besides that stage presence and beautiful voice) expertise in set design, set building, lighting and sound, and all of the myriad other theater skills necessary for quality and success.
Her participation with Leatherstockoing Theatre company this summer is not new: she performed in LTC’s first season (“Harvey” 1991) and appeared subsequently in “On Borrowed Time,” “Foxfire,” and “A Talent for Murder.” She was Production Manager for the 2006 season and also directed two engaging one-act plays by David Ives. With all her experience, talent, and considerable skills, it was only a matter of time before LTC engaged her to work her magic as director of a major production.
Advance word on “The Dining Room,” opening July 17 and running for nine performances through the 27th, is nothing short of ecstatic. She has shaped and molded an excellent cast to provide a stimulating and thought-provokingly witty two hours of theater pleasure. No matter how much more eminent and famous she becomes, I can guarantee we won’t be forgetting Otsego County’s very own Ann Matthers Taylor any time soon.

Labels: Ann Matthers Taylor, Art Beat, Glimmerglass, Sam Goodyear