Riding With "Driving Miss Daisy" Broadway Video

By Leora Kanner, Broadway Magazine

For a limited 16-week engagement starting on October 7, the iconic actors Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones will collaborate for the exceptional Broadway premiere of the Pulitzer winning play 'Driving Miss Daisy.' The play was originally performed off-Broadway in 1987 but is perhaps most well known for the Oscar winning feature film by the same name.

Broadway.tv and Broadway Magazine take you behind the scenes at an interview with the play's legendary stars and its writer, the Academy, Tony, and Pulitzer winning Alfred Uhry. Uhry had never written a play before Driving Miss Daisy, but had written lyrics and books for musicals.

Broadway Show: Driving Miss Daisy

"I thought, oh, I could write a play," says Uhry, and describes the play that eventually told the story of "my childhood in Atlanta and what went on there." The play ultimately conveyed the timeless tale of a widowed women and the African-American man who was hired to drive her around. The play examines race relations, friendships, and society as a whole.

In a cast interview with Vanessa Redgrave, one of People Magazines "100 Most Beautiful People," the actress playing Miss Daisy described the play as "extraordinary," attributing her success as an actress to both the writing and content of the piece. Boyd Gaines, who plays her son "Boolie," spoke volumes of his two celebrated costars, calling them "magicians." Uhry echoed the sentiment, describing how the two renowned actors disappear within their roles: "I sit here and watch them and think, 'oh my God it's not them'"

James Earl Jones, perhaps best known for his unique creation of the "Darth Vader voice" spoke of the honor he felt to be playing the role. Jones, who was awarded the National Medal of the Arts in 1992, said, "Every generation owes itself a shot at those great characters and great plays." "This," he said with passion, "is our shot." Jones poignantly spoke about how the character of Daisy "reminds me a lot of my grandmother…the soul of that person," despite the fact that his grandmother and Daisy were of different races and qualities.

Jones believes tat the messages of the piece transcend racial relations; the play is in fact about "how…you find friendship with anybody? Not just other races, but your own race, your own family." Despite Jones' success as an actor, he is still humbled by his career and is thankful for every single opportunity (even voiceovers) that he gets. "An actor," even according to Jones, "no matter how well known he might be, can never feel that we are above unemployment…we are all vulnerable to that."

Watch the entire video feature with the cast of Broadway's Driving Miss Daisy and get show information on www.Broadway.tv. Also, check out Broadway Magazine for more on this show and the rest of the Broadway season.