Theater veterans James Earl Jones and Vanessa Redgrave have been cast in the lead roles in the Broadway adaptation of the Oscar-winning 1989 drama Driving Miss Daisy.
The story follows an elderly, widowed Jewish woman of 72, Daisy Werthan, living in mid-20th-century Atlanta. Daisy’s son hires an endearing African-American man, Hoke Colburn, to serve as her chauffeur after she is no longer able to drive. The pair form a friendship that bridges their racial divide.
Driving Miss Daisy premiered as an an Off-Broadway production in 1987. Two years later, it became a hit film two years later starring Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy. The 1989 film version won four Academy Awards; including Best Picture and Best Actress for Jessica Tandy performance as Werthan. Morgan Freeman was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Hoke.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Alfred Uhry will begin performances at the John Golden Theatre on Oct. 7, Daisy producers Jed Bernstein and Adam Zotovich announced on Tuesday.
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