Alfred Uhry’s play Driving Miss Daisy started as off-Broadway fare in 1987, winning the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It wasn’t long before Hollywood took notice and the Oscar winning film by the same title was produced. Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre’s production opened earlier this past weekend in the black box space at The Studio in the performing arts complex.
The play, set in the years from 1948 to 1973, tells the story of Daisy Werthan – aged 72 at the onset – who, after a bad car crash, is in need of a driver, at least according to her son, Boolie. She won’t hear of it, but for her safety Boolie hires Hoke Colburn to take her around. Daisy slowly gives in to the idea and convenience of having Hoke’s help and the two grow to be friends over the next 25 years.
Ellen Kingston as Daisy Werthan and Antoine Demmings as Hoke Coleburn. (Photo provided by Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre)
Driving Miss Daisy drips with Southern affects, from the language, the accents, and the surroundings (ah, the Piggly Wiggly market!) to the built-in culture of prejudices from that time. It brings these timely intolerances to light as it examines the biases faced by the Werthans, as Jews, and by Hoke, as a Black American. They all must be mindful of what they are forced to face – whether it be damage to Boolie’s professional status if he attends a Martin Luther King speech or Hoke’s irritations with some of his treatment as Daisy’s chauffeur. Themes of intolerance are balanced by hopeful themes of understanding and acceptance.
Director Michael Lasley has put together a shining production with a laudable cast. Ellen Kingston is perfect as the sometimes sweet, sometimes cantankerous Daisy, moving slowly but still filled with Southern grace. Daisy’s son Boolie is offered in a marvelous rendition by David Wood, who was also so impressive as Otto Frank in last year’s Diary of Anne Frank at Civic. His spot-on attitude and accent light up the character, making him someone many of us can truly empathize with.
Hoke is brought to life by Antoine Demmings, who has certainly come a long way as an actor since his debut at Civic in 2017. Demmings makes Hoke an original and his own, differing a good deal from Morgan Freeman’s iconic interpretation (Freeman created the role off Broadway and did the film version). Though I had some problems hearing and understanding Demmings dialogue through his Southern-Black accent, it didn’t detract from his portrayal.
Ellen Kingston as Daisy Werthan and David Woods as her son, Boolie. (Photo provided by Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre)
The tidy setting of three distinct areas (designed by Ryan Koharchik) fit exactly right in the Studio’s black box space and Adrienne Conces’ costumes are ideal for the times and place. Set changes are well choreographed and mostly on the quick side.
I only have one misgiving about the choices in two scenes. In my opinion, there is much poignancy in the development of Daisy and Hoke’s relationship. Two moments especially beg to be emotional and moving – certainly when Daisy declares her feeling of friendship with Hoke, and in the final scene when he helps Daisy have bites of her holiday pie. Both those moments came off as flat in my senses of their sweet importance. A touch, a look, a moment of connection somehow would have sold the feelings a bit deeper, I believe.
Bottom line: Whatever the show lacks in poignancy, is more than made up for in its solid performances and storytelling. This is very good, 80-minute entertainment.
Driving Miss Daisy continues at The Studio theatre through March 30. Tickets are available by calling the box office at (317) 843-3800 or by going online to CivicTheatre.org.
Read more great play reviews from A Seat on the Aisle at asota.wordpress.com.