Driving Miss Daisy, the Pulitzer Prize winning drama by Alfred Uhry, opens this month at Asheville Community Theatre (ACT).
Driving Miss Daisy shares the story of the relationship between an elderly white Southern Jewish woman, Daisy Werthan, and her African-American chauffeur, Hoke Colburn over the span of 25 years.
Driving Miss Daisy is set mostly in Atlanta, just prior to the civil rights movement. Having recently demolished another car, Daisy Werthan, a rich, sharp-tongued Jewish widow of 72, is informed by her son Boolie that he has hired a chauffeur for her: an African-American man named Hoke.
In a series of scenes that spans from 1948 to 1973, Daisy and Hoke grow ever closer and more dependent on each other – and they both come to realize they have more in common than they ever believed possible.
Driving Miss Daisy was first produced Off-Broadway in 1987 with Dana Ivey as Daisy and Morgan Freeman as Hoke. The 1989 movie was adapted by the playwright and starred Jessica Tandy as Daisy, with Morgan Freeman reprising his role as Hoke. The movie won four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actress. The play did not debut on Broadway until 2010. The Broadway production starred James Earl Jones as Hoke and Vanessa Redgrave as Daisy.
Asheville Community Theatre’s production of Driving Miss Daisy combines the talents of three newcomers and one ACT veteran. Director Patricia Heuermann is making her ACT directorial debut. A former resident of Atlanta with a directing resume a mile long, Driving Miss Daisy is the perfect fit for her.
This show also marks the ACT debuts for two of the three stars: Hendersonville resident Ronnie Pepper (Hoke) has been burning up I-26 traveling to rehearsals, while Pamela Gilmer (Daisy) splits her time between Virginia and North Carolina. Rounding out the cast is ACT veteran Michael Boulos as Boolie. The scenic design is by Jack Lindsay, with costumes by Deborah Austin and lighting and sound by Adam Cohen.
If You Go: Driving Miss Daisy runs from August 1 through August 17, 2014, with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $22 for adults, $19 for seniors (65+) and students, and $12 for children 17 and under. Asheville Community Theatre, 35 E. Walnut St., Asheville. For more information about ACT’s Mainstage season, call (828) 254-1320, or visit www.ashevilletheatre.org.
