‘Miss
Daisy’ drives into Coach House Theatre March 13-30
The
contemporary classic Driving Miss Daisy is coming to Coach
House Theatre. This Pulitzer
Prize-winning play, which was also an Academy Award-winning 1989 movie, opens Thursday, March 13 and runs through Sunday,
March 30, 2008.
A
delicate depiction of racial tension and of growing old, Driving Miss Daisy tells the
story of elderly Jewish matron Daisy Werthan and her chauffeur Hoke
Coleburn. At first Daisy is none too happy about being forced to rely
on a black man. But Hoke gradually wins her over and during the 25-year
span of the play (from 1948 to 1973) the two develop a deep-rooted
affection.
Well-known
area director Nancy Cates is “behind the wheel” of Driving
Miss Daisy. Nancy returns to Coach House for her third
production, following last season's
Hay Fever and this year's musical revue Oh, Coward! Nancy is one of the two Artistic Directors of the
Ohio Shakespeare Festival, which performs each summer at Stan Hywet
Hall and Gardens. She has been directing professionally for
twenty-eight years, and has worked widely in regional, stock,
university and dinner theatres around the country. A few favorites
include a dozen or so Noel Coward productions, the American classic All
My Sons (locally, at Weathervane) and The King and I with
the Richmond Symphony accompanying.
Marvin L. Mallory
makes his Coach House debut in the role of Hoke Coleburn. He has acted
in the Northeast Ohio area for a number of years appearing at The
Beck Center, Karamu Arts Center, Geauga Lyric Theater, Lakeland Theater, and Cuyahoga Community College. His film credits include Farmhouse
and Dead Silent, and Expect A Miracle.
His latest movie, Controlled, was just completed and
is due for release later this year. Marvin also plays the role of Lt.
Charles B. Foster in an upcoming TV series, Out Of Darkness.
Richard Worswick
makes his second appearance at Coach House as Daisy’s son Boolie
Wertan. He recently appeared in Drowning Sorrows. He’s appeared many times at Weathervane,
most recently in the
critically-praised production of Someone Who'll
Watch Over Me.
Maureen E. Johnson
plays Miss Daisy. She last appeared at Coach House as Bunny in A Murder is Announced. She turned up as Miss
Wulla Jean in the Ohio Shakespeare Festival's The
Best Little Whorehouse in Texas last summer and appeared in
Moon Over Buffalo at Weathervane this
past winter.
Driving Miss Daisy will be presented
Thursday, March 13 through Sunday,
March 30, 2008. Curtain times are Thursday, Friday and
Saturday at 8 p.m., with
Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m.
There will be no performance on Easter Sunday, March 23. The house
opens a half hour before the show, and the box office opens one hour
before the show. Coach House Theatre is located at 732
W. Exchange Street, in Akron,
next to the Akron Woman’s City Club. Tickets for Driving
Miss Daisy go on sale Feb. 28. Prices are $15 for adults, and $6
for students (with valid ID) and children. Reservations are recommended
by calling our box office at 330-434-7741 or visit www.coachhousetheatre.org online for more information.
For more information about group discounts or dining at the Akron
Woman’s City Club Ballroom before the show, please call Mona Reuscher
at 330-666-3252.