A 25-year friendship begins with one unwelcome car ride in “Driving Miss Daisy,” Alfred Uhry’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play about two people divided by race, class and temperament who slowly learn to trust one another.
The Amarillo Little Theatre is presenting the beloved American story for eight performances only, Aug.13 through Aug. 23 at the ALT Adventure Space, 2751 Civic Circle.
Set in Atlanta from the late 1940s through the Civil Rights era, the play follows Daisy Werthan, a fiercely independent Jewish widow, and Hoke Coleburn, the Black chauffeur hired by her son after Daisy can no longer drive. Their reluctant arrangement grows into a complicated, deeply human bond shaped by humor, pride, prejudice and the changing world around them.
“What makes ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ so powerful is the way this friendship unfolds slowly and honestly,” director Terri Wilson said. “The play follows two vastly different characters through the difficult aging process, and it finds warmth, humor and tenderness in two people learning to see one another more clearly along the way.”
Driving Miss Daisy won the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and inspired the Academy Award-winning film. On stage, its three-person cast and close-up storytelling places audiences inside every turn in Daisy and Hoke’s relationship — an especially natural fit for the Adventure Space.
“The Adventure Space is made for stories like this — intimate, actor-driven and close enough for audiences to feel every shift in the relationship,” said Jason Crespin, ALT Managing/Artistic Director. “‘Driving Miss Daisy’ invites us to laugh, reflect and recognize something of ourselves in these characters.”
The production marks a particularly meaningful and triumphant return to the stage for Anne Lankford, who takes on the title role of Daisy Werthan. Lankford is well-loved by the ALT staff and has been active for years in other facets of the operation. She is joined by Kyle Gipson as Hoke Coleburn and Jared Lee as Boolie Werthan. Wilson directs the production, with Teri Stringer serving as stage manager.
Lankford describes her role as Miss Daisy
“It’s been five years since I was on stage, and I’m worried about the time load,” Lankford confessed during rehearsal. “It’s a short show, but I’m talking all the time.”
Lankford said she worked for ALT for 25 years as an administrative assistant and box office person, when there were only two of them. “Then it became eight,” she said. Lankford said she had stayed active on the board of directors.
Lankford was originally a dance teacher and choreographer who did 32 musicals for ALT.
The talented woman said she took her hand at acting at a later age, when she was around 37, but now she was unable to dance like she used to.
“She’s a feisty girl,” Lankford said about Miss Daisy. “Their relationship is contentious at the start. She’s bossy and wants her way. Then she finds out that the very best friend she has is Hoke, her chauffeur.”
Lankford said that Daisy also found out she wasn’t nearly as open-minded as she thought she was.
Hoke’s role as chauffeur, as played by Gipson
“I’ll be playing Hoke, who’s the chauffeur for Miss Daisy,” Kyle Gipson said. “She’s kind of reluctant to have a chauffeur at all, and she’s independent and stuck in her ways. She talks throughout the play about how she grew up in hard times, so the thought of her even having a chauffeur is off-putting for her, to put it mildly.”
“I play just a guy that needs a job, hadn’t worked since before November and with the job, I’m a happy-go-lucky guy. We’re just two regular people who don’t think that we’ll have anything besides a working relationship.” Gipson said.
“Hoke comes from a strong background,” he added of the character. “He worked hard and his wife passed away years ago, and he’s been taking care of business.”
Gipson said that both people are independent and set in their ways, but one needs a job and one needs a chauffeur, and they both end up needing a friend, through life’s experiences. “When we go through life’s changes, holidays, life and births, and deaths in the family, Daisy and Hope go to church during the ’60s and there’s a church bombing,” he said.
“Hoke tells Daisy a story about when he grew up, and they live through each other’s experiences,” according to Gipson. The actor said his first experience with ALT was in 2018 in a play called “Sweat.” Then the next play was “Shrek,” where he played the donkey. Gipson also participated in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” He also participated in “Spam-A-Lot” as one of the knights at the round table, along with singing a solo in “Dream Girls” last year. Gipson said he played Jimmy Earl as a singing star and his daughter was also in the play, which he claimed was the best experience he’s had in theater.
In the real world, he serves as an optomic technician for Southwest Retina Specialists, where they treat the back of the eye and see aroud 400 patients a day, and most of the patients are older. “I’m walking through the clinic and people stop me and say, ‘We’re coming to the play to see Miss Daisy.’ “
The actor/technician said he also referees football, basketball and baseball in his free time. “It’s football season now, and I’m in the middle of doing scrimmages for high school, junior high and middle school.”
Jared Lee plays son of Miss Daisy
A relative newcomer to the scene, Jared Lee, plays the son — Boolie Wortham, of the cantankerous Miss Daisy.
“When the play starts, Daisy has just had a wreck, and her son is telling her it’s time to let someone else drive her around. But the independent Daisy isn’t liking the idea. Boolie is rather exasperated by his mother, and a lot of the play brings that out and it’s always funny,” Lee said.
“But he cares for his mother, but he doesn’t want to always have to deal with her,” Lee said with a laugh. “So, he hires Hoke to drive her around. He and Boolie become friends throughout … I think it’s a very sweet play.”
Lee said that his favorite part was when Hoke came in to ask for a raise, which turns out to be comical. Another scene is when Daisy is accusing Hoke of stealing something from her. “It turns out to be a misunderstanding, and it was ridiculous what she thought he had stolen from her,” Lee said.
Lee said that it was the first larger role he had played. He said that he had done another play two seasons ago and was in the ensemble, but he loved every second of it.
In real time, Lee runs the support team for a software company, a corporate job, and he enjoys the freedom and creativity of acting.
“My degree is in broadcasting, and I just kind of fell in the job I’m currently in. And this is a great outlet to take a break from corporate America,” Lee said. “I’ve loved every second of this.” He added that he hopes to continue working with ALT.
The show opens Thursday, Aug. 13, and tickets are $15-$25. With just two weekends of performances and limited seating in the ALT Adventure Space, audiences are encouraged to reserve seats early at amarillolittletheatre.org or to call 806-355-9991.
The performance times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 13-15 and Aug. 20-22; and 2:30 p.m. matinees on Sunday, Aug. 16 and Aug. 23.
The production is recommended for ages 10 and older because of historical themes of racism and antisemitism.
Show brings community engagement, support
Following the 2:30 p.m. performance on Sunday, Aug. 16, audiences are invited to stay for an Ovation Series Talk Back Event, sponsored by Roxann and Kevin Ball.
ALT is also partnering with Meals on Wheels in connection with the production to spotlight the care, connection and neighbor-to-neighbor support that help Amarillo seniors remain engaged in their community.
“Meals on Wheels of Amarillo is powered by the generosity of our community,” said Susie Akers Executive Director for Meals on Wheels Amarillo. “Whether you give your time, make a donation, or help spread the word, every act of kindness helps ensure our homebound neighbors receive not only a nutritious meal but also the compassion and connection they deserve.”
Learn more about Meals on Wheels and how you can help at amarillomealsonwheels.org
Nell Williams is a staff writer covering trends and other news for the Amarillo Globe-News. Have a story idea? Email her at nwilliams@usatodayco.com .
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Unlikely friendship takes center stage in ALT’s ‘Driving Miss Daisy’
Reporting by Nell Williams, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
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By Nell Williams, Amarillo Globe-News | USA TODAY Network
