“Driving Miss Daisy” at Ford’s Theatre is as authentic as it is delightful.
Ford’s Theatre began its 2014-2015 season with the 1987 classic “Driving Miss Daisy” on Sept. 26. The productions stars D.C. actors Nancy Robinette and Craig Wallace.
The story follows the relationship between Daisy Werthan and her chauffeur Hoke Colburn over 20 years. What begins as a clashing of wills becomes a powerful friendship that transcends the racial prejudices of civil rights era Atlanta.
Robinette plays Miss Daisy as a prickly sourpuss with enough charm to never lose the audience’s affection. She is clearly very tuned-in to her character and does a good job of portraying to the audience the layers of prejudice, stubbornness and deep sense of self Miss Daisy wrestles with in accepting, and ultimately befriending, her black chauffeur.
Wallace is undoubtedly the funniest person on stage. He has sharp comedic timing and plays well off both Robinette and Ron Heneghan, who plays Daisy’s son Boolie. His charm eases the audiences through the scenes of racial prejudice but does make these more serious scenes feel almost too light.
The danger with a three person cast is that if one actor loses energy, the whole show falls apart. The cast of “Driving Miss Daisy” conquers this challenge with apparent ease, bringing spark to every scene. They have immense chemistry that brings the show to life.
It is common in productions of “Driving Miss Daisy” for the show to feature huge projections and intricate sets. In contrast, this production’s set is so minimalist that it is hardly there at all. Scenic Designer Tony Cisek does minimal so well and so thoughtfully that the audience never wants more. Every piece helps push the story forward without ever distracting from the actors.
“Driving Miss Daisy” is a touching and enchanting classic and there is no better place to see it than the beautiful Ford’s Theatre.
As a special offer for college students, tickets for the Oct. 7 show will be only $12. Just use code COLLEGE and present your college ID at the box office.
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