Alfred Uhry’s acclaimed comedy drama Driving Miss Daisy is visiting Newcastle Theatre Royal on its 30th anniversary tour with a top cast at the wheel Mon 2 – Sat 7 Oct 2017.
This brand new production by Pulitzer Prize, Academy and Tony Award-winning playwright Uhry stars icon of British Theatre Dame Siân Philips as elderly widow Daisy Werthan and one of TV’s best known faces Derek Griffiths as chauffeur Hoke.
When Miss Daisy crashes her car one day in 1948, her son hires her a chauffeur, an African-American named Hoke Colburn. Daisy and Hoke’s relationship gets off to a rocky start, but as times change across a 25-year backdrop of prejudice, inequality and civil unrest, a profound and life-altering friendship blossoms in this acclaimed comedy drama.
From its landmark off-Broadway production in 1987 to the remarkable success of the 1989 film version, which was the winner of four Academy Awards including Best Picture, Driving Miss Daisy has touched the hearts of millions worldwide.
Dame Siân Phillips has enjoyed a dazzling career which spans more than seven decades – from her multi award-wining performance in I, Claudius to the epic film Dune, from a Tony nominated performance of Marlene on Broadway to Cabaret in the West End.
RSC actor and legendary presenter, Derek Griffiths’ numerous West End credits include the original production of Beauty and the Beast in which he originated the role of Lumière and the Child Catcher in the West End run of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium.
Alfred Uhry is one of the few writers to have earned Academy, Tony and Pulitzer Prize awards as a playwright and screenwriter. Having based the story of Driving Miss Daisy on his own family history, the play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1988. His adaptation of the screenplay went on to win an Oscar in 1989.
The show is directed by Richard Beecham and designed by Simon Kenny. It has lighting design by Natasha Chivers and sound design by Jon Nicholls. Driving Miss Daisy is produced by Theatre Royal Bath Productions.
Driving Miss Daisy is at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Mon 2 until Sat 7 October 2017, playing evenings at 7.30pm, matinees on Thu 2pm and Sat 2.30pm. Tickets from £14.50. Tickets can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge) or book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk