Page 32 - Let's Make Waves - October 2018

"We saw Moon Over Buffalo and had burn, from 1948 to 1973. Daisy and Hoke as they travelled on their
an extremely good time. The delightful The film, starring Jessica Tandy, Morgan outings. Amanda Bezemek's periods-
play was masterfully acted, staged, and Freeman and Dan Aykroyd [as Daisy's son accurate costuming and Joey Colao's
directed. The COM Theater was com- Boolie] received nine Academy Award seamlessly transitioning lighting enhanced
fortable and the atmosphere was inti- nominations, with Tandy winning the the stage picture well.
mate. Well done!!" Academy Award for Best Actress and the
film winning for Best Picture. Uhry also I did have one small issue with the perfor-
"We love the COMM Theatre and won an Academy Award for his screen- mance I saw, and that was how the pas-
have had season tickets for many years play. The time: 1948, the place: Atlanta, sage of the 25-year time span in which the
now. We wanted to comment about the Georgia. A crash is heard, and Daisy Wer- action takes place was conveyed to the
presentation of Second Samuel. We than, age 72, is in her living room, with audience. Again, a majority of any audi-
thought it was one of the best perfor- her son Boolie, age 40. They are Jewish, ence attending will most likely have seen
mances by the entire cast that we've with Atlanta accents. She has crashed her the movie and are familiar with the time
seen in recent times. Thanks for car, and Boolie insists that she have a driv- span, however; one cannot assume that
providing thought provoking and en- er. Boolie interviews Hoke Coleburn who everyone has. It falls on the actors and the
joyable entertainment!" is a black man of around 60 and unem- director to convey the gradual passage of
ployed. Over the next 25 years Hoke time by portraying the aging of the charac-
"This little theater is the best one any- drives "Miss Daisy". They are initially wary ters vocally and physically. All three ac-
where. You won't find better plays or of each other, and Hoke puts up with the tors achieved this believably to a degree,
actors." somewhat crotchety Miss Daisy with dig- yet at times, I felt their transitions were
nity. She teaches Hoke to read when she either abrupt or non-existent with the ex-
TH learns that he cannot, which comes natu- ception of Donna Bane as Miss Daisy.
THEATRE REVIEW EATRE REVIEW
rally to her, having been a teacher. Ulti- Her gradual maturing of the character -
DRIVING MISS DAISY - mately, over the years, they form a bond. from Granny-Clampett-fussy to a caring,
An Intimate study of diverse In the final scene set in 1973, Miss Daisy empathetic friend for Hoke in both her
relationships is in a nursing home for increasing voice and carriage was exceptionally skill-
memory loss; but is lucid enough to tell ful and consistent.
Hoke, who has come to visit her, that he
is her best friend. On a technical note - the play is episodic
in structure consisting of many scenes
That COM Theatre is giving an endearing- transitioning between place and time indi-
ly intimate staging of Driving Miss Daisy cated by changes in lighting and [at times]
was evident at the Wednesday night pre- sound or musical interludes. The sound
view performance I attended. The three cues seemed sporadic to me and I was told
seasoned actors - Donna Bane [Daisy], not using them consistently was by design.
Driving Miss Daisy
Osbie [Hoke] and H.Russ Brown [Boolie] When present, they worked well and I
- each portrayed the idiosyncrasies of their would have opted to have them - however
Most of us are familiar with the story of
Most of us are familiar with the story of individual characters that melded into an brief - between all scenes.
Driving Miss Daisy due to the 1989 Amer- ensemble performance as well-oiled as an
Driving Miss Daisy due to the 1989 Amer-
ican comedy-drama fifif lm adapted by Alfrfrf ed
ican comedy-drama film adapted by Alfred engine in one of the classic cars men- These nit-picky things aside, Driving Miss
Uhry from his 1987 Pulitzer Prize-winning
Uhry from his 1987 Pulitzer Prize-winning tioned. Director Ray Gabica's expert stag- Daisy was a superior production of a clas-
play of the same name. The play was the
play of the same name. The play was the ing kept the movement flowing, avoiding sic play - well-acted and beautifully staged.
first in Uhry's Atlanta Trilogy, which deals
first in Uhry's Atlanta Trilogy, which deals what could have been the pitfall of stagna-
with white Jewish residents of that city in tion due to many scenes set inside an au-
the early 20th century, and focuses on the tomobile. Kurt Meyere's combination
relationship of an elderly white Southern presentational and representational unit
Jewish woman, Daisy Werthan, and her set was a visual delight; the highlight being
African-American chauffeur, Hoke Cole- the 'cars' sitting on a dais that rotated Miss
Moon Over Buffalo
32 | Waves Magazine | October 2018 Issue