By Alfred Uhry March 13-29, 2020 Directed by Jason Spitzer Fridays & Saturdays 8:00PM Sundays 2:30PM Box Office: 901.453.7447 gctcomeplay.org “Driving Miss Daisy” is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, INC. Season Sponsors: Jean and Andrew Saunders Presented By City of Germantown, ArtsMemphis and Tennessee Arts Commission GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE 1 2 GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Teresa Jordan, President Eric Newsome, 1st Vice-President Seth Jewell, 2nd Vice-President Donna Chandler Newman, Secretary Kelly Luttrell, Treasurer James “Bo” Adams, Past President / Parliamentarian Frank Adams Hal Beckham WHAT’S Shelley Carr Justin Entzminger Cynthia Mattox Julie Scarpace INSIDE Paul Scott Robyn Sharp From the Executive Director | 5 Tiana Wooden Driving Mrs. Daisy | 7 Cast / Production Team | 11 STAFF Brian Everson, Who’s Who | 13 Executive Director Creative Partners | 19 Dan Kopera, Technical Director Cheryl McClurg, Education Director Leah Barrett, Bookkeeper Annie Freres, Box Office Manager AFFILIATIONS ArtsMemphis GPAC Education Grant Southeastern Theatre Conference Tennessee Arts Commission Tennessee Theatre Association American Association of Community Theatres CONTACT US ADVERTISING Box Office: 901.453.7447 Onstage Publications 937-424-0529 | 866-503-1966 Box Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10:00 AM-3:00 PM e-mail: [email protected] www.gctcomeplay.org www.onstagepublications.com This program is published in association with Onstage Publications, 1612 Prosser Avenue, Kettering, OH 45409. This program may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. JBI Publishing is a division of Onstage Publications, Inc. Contents © 2020. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE 3 FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Welcome to Driving Miss Daisy at Germantown Community Theatre. We are so excited to have you join us for this classic piece of theatre. Our last production of this show came in 1999, which was ten years after the film won the Oscar for best picture, best actress, and best adapted screenplay among others. Some thought Morgan Freeman was robbed on the Oscar following his Golden Globe Best Actor award. Jessica Tandy starred as the titular title character in the film. In case you missed it, we have announced our 49th season. We are so excited to bring so many exciting shows to the GCT stage. Season memberships are now on sale and we are excited to announce some new pricing. We are lowering our Senior eligible age to 60! Any one 60 years and older now qualifies for this lower pricing level. We are also introducing a whole new pricing tier for people with student loans! If you a student loan of any type or size, we have special pricing for you as well. Call us at 901.453.7447 to find out how much money you can save as a season member. We are so excited to announce that Brent Davis will be honored as our next Leading Luminary at our annual fundraising gala on April 25, 2020 at Ridgeway Country club. Please come and join us honor Brent’s many years of service at GCT. You can purchase your table or individual ticket by talking to the staff or calling the box office. Next on deck is GCT Backwards: A Cabaret. Our very own Annie Freres will be taking the stage alongside seven other talented artists for two weekends in April. We have special VIP seating on stage available for you to create a memorable evening at the theatre. Thanks again for all your support and please enjoy Driving Miss Daisy. GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE 5 Germantown Community Theatre presents By Alfred Uhry Directed by Jason Spitzer March 13-29 Fridays & Saturdays 8:00PM, Sundays 2:30PM Box Office: 901.453.7447 / gctcomeplay.org DRIVING MISS DAISY Is presented through special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc. Season sponsors: JEAN AND ANDREW SAUNDERS Presented by: City of Germantown, ArtsMemphis and Tennessee Arts Commission GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE 7 8 GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE 9 10 GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE CAST Daisy Werthan ..............................................................................................Carol Russell Hoke Coleburn ................................................................................................... TC Sharp Boolie Werthan ..............................................................................................S.A. Weakley PRODUCTION TEAM Director ..........................................................................................................Jason Spitzer Stage Manager ........................................................................................ Wolfgang Kopera Lighting Design ...............................................................................................Dan Kopera Set Design .......................................................................................................Dan Kopera Sound Design ..................................................................................................Dan Kopera Costume Design ............................................................................Ashley Whitten Kopera Prop Design .....................................................................................................Betty Dilley Set Construction ...............................................Andy Saunders, BC Jennings, Bob Parker, Paul Scott, Dan Kopera, Brian Everson SETTING This play takes place from 1948 to 1973, mostly in Atlanta, Georgia. There are many locales. Special thanks to Marcia Scheuner for supplying the needlepoint supplies for Driving Miss Daisy. GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE 11 12 GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE WHO’S WHO CAROL RUSSELL (Daisy the Black Youth to the life altering effect of Education Werthan) is delighted to and The Arts. He has won all sorts of awards in both return to the stage where her fields. In 2018, he was nominated Best Supporting community theatre journey Actor as Turnbo in Hattiloo Theatre’s Ostrander began 35 years ago in our hit winning Drama, Jitney. Also in 2018, he was production of Diamond nominated Best Actor in a Comedy film by The Studs, for which she received Greater Southeast International Film Festival for his a Memphis Theatre Award role in UofM Memphis Indie filmDirty Money. Last nomination. Carol went on year, he was nominated Best Lead Actor in a Drama to appear in The Rainmaker for his role in The Miraculous and the Mundane at here at GCT and Talking With at Theatre Memphis. POTS@TheWorks. Thanks to GCT and this amazing She subsequently received two Memphis Theatre cast and crew. “God Bless you all.” A true friend Awards for her performances in A…My Name is Alice and acting partner of Mr. Sharp passed away in 2017 at Circuit Playhouse and Lloyd’s Prayer at Theatre and was honored along with others at the 2018 Memphis. Among her various film roles, Carol played Ostranders. This show is dedicated to his buddy Jerry Lee’s mother Mamie Lewis in Great Balls of Fire. Anthony (Tony) Anderson. “Tony, I hope this show Carol is thrilled to be working with this amazing cast makes you laugh.” and with Jason again after appearing alongside him in The Man Who Came to Dinner at Theatre Memphis. S. A. WEAKLEY (Boolie She also wishes to thank her husband Wayne for his Werthan) is extremely love and support and most importantly for running excited to work with an lines with her. amazing cast, wonderful director, and a terrific crew TC SHARP (Hoke on this great script. He has Coleburn) is entering his been honored once by the 46th year of theatre and Ostranders for the Best film work here in Memphis. Leading Actor award, and 3 of his 46 years: 1978-81, has been nominated in were spent in L.A. where several other Ostrander categories over the years. Sam he studied Film and has acted, directed, or designed in the Memphis area Commercial Acting at Larry every year since 1983, and most recently directed Parke’s Acting Academy, The Crucible at GCT last April. He is the chairman took Modern Dance and of the Fine Arts Department at NWCC-Desoto in improvisation at Inner City Cultural Center and Southaven, and sends all his love to his wife and his earned a year long Theatrical Scholarship at American step-daughter, who are, respectively, the bread and Theatre Arts on Hollywood Boulevard. His 43 years butter of his life. in Memphis from 1974-78 and from 1981-Present has been spent as an Educator and Actor. His main focus in both fields was and is to inspire and expose GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE 13 PRODUCTION TEAM BETTY DILLEY (Props) is Theatre, as well as several area schools. She received the Resident Props Designer her BA in Theatre and Art from Mercer University at Germantown Community and studied Costume Design at the University of Theatre. She also designs Memphis. From time to time, Ashley steps out from props for other theatres, behind the scenes to perform. She has been in most recently for Steel Nunsense and Honky Tonk Angels here at GCT Magnolias at the Harrell and can soon be seen as Truvy in Steel Magnolias Theatre in Collierville; at BPACC. Tru at Cloud 9 Productions in Memphis, and Four JASON SPITZER (Director) most recently directed Weddings and an Elvis at GCT. Betty has received Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf for GCT, for which Ostrander Theatre Awards for Excellence in Prop Betty Dilley received an Ostrander for her creative Design for Spitfire Grille; The Odd Couple; and properties design. Past credits include The Game’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia