James Earl Jones Vanessa Redgrave Cast In Broadway’s “Driving Miss Daisy”

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.