Daisy (Mary Anne Cecil) and Hoke (Bradley Lowe) have one of their many discussions in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Driving Miss Daisy running from Friday through Oct. 20 at Myers Dinner Theatre in Hillsboro.
HILLSBORO — Up next in Myers Dinner Theatre’s 2019 season will be the Pulitzer Prize-winning Driving Miss Daisy, opening Friday and running through Oct. 20. A timeless American play, which inspired the beloved Academy Award-winning film starring Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman, Driving Miss Daisy focuses on the true power of friendship, and how it affects us all.
Driving Miss Daisy tells the affecting story of the decades-long relationship between a stubborn Southern matriarch and her compassionate chauffeur. Their iconic tale of pride, changing times and the transformative power of friendship has warmed the hearts of millions and was the first in Uhry’s “Atlanta Trilogy,” which deals with Jewish residents of that city in the early 20th century. The original production opened Off-Broadway in 1987, starred Dana Ivey & Morgan Freeman, and ran for nearly 1,200 performances. The Pulitzer Prize winner was first staged on Broadway in 2010, starred Vanessa Redgrave & James Earl Jones, and ran for 180 performances, garnering a Tony nomination for Redgrave.
Driving Miss Daisy will be directed by MDT artistic director Jeremy Littlejohn, who is staging his fourth production of the piece. The cast features two of Myers Dinner Theatre’s most prolific alumni sharing the iconic role of Daisy Werthan. Mary Anne Cecil of Danville, Illinois, and Ginny Pugh Spillman of Indianapolis are both well-known to MDT audiences and will both bring their own unique interpretations to this complex Georgia socialite. Bradley Lowe of Indianapolis will portray Hoke Coleburn, her compassionate chauffeur. Lowe is returning to the MDT stage for the first time since our production of Big River and was the recipient of the Encore Award for Best Lead Actor for his portrayal of Hoke in Indianapolis. Jason Ryan Wallace of Lafayette, most recently heard as the voice of the Gargoyles in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, will portray Daisy’s son, Boolie.
Driving Miss Daisy opens Sept. 27, and runs through Oct. 20, with weekday and Saturday matinees seating for dinner at 11:30 a.m. and curtain at 1:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday evening performances seat for dinner at 6 p.m. with curtain at 8 p.m. and Sunday twilight with seating for dinner at 5 p.m. and curtain at 6:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased by phone at 765-798-4902, ext. 2, or by visiting our website at www.myersdt.com. Performance dates vary, so consult the online calendar for show dates and times. Theatre prices are $39 for dinner and theatre, $28 for students (ages 4-18), and show-only for $26. Prices do not include taxes and handling fee. Group pricing and bus parking are available.
Myers Dinner Theatre is located at 108 Water St., Hillsboro, and offers handicap accessibility.
