Review: DRIVING MISS DAISY at Fulton Theatre
"Audience Choice' season begins now through September 28.
The Fulton Theatre begins their 2025-26 “Audience Choice” season with the iconic Driving Miss Daisy. In recent years, Fulton has more or less banished non-musicals (not authored by Agatha Christie) to their more intimate, “studio series” setting. I am very happy to see a return to form on the Fulton mainstage.
Driving Miss Daisy is a relatively modest three-character show that explores themes of tolerance and acceptance, not through any monumental dramatic events, but rather through the lenses of time and familiarity.
Broadway icon, Judy Kaye stars as Daisy Werthan, a rich southern belle coming to terms with the realities of aging. Kaye is probably best known for her role as suprema diva, Carlotta from the Broadway production of Phantom of the Opera. Here, her character shares some similarities in their views of attitude and entitlement. Daisy is paired with Hoke, a black chauffeur, when she is deemed too old to drive. Her ignorance, judgement, and suspicion of Hoke evolves over time to understanding, appreciation, and respect.
Kaye is masterful in her ability to show nuances in her character, and highlights many of the foibles of growing old, both in body and spirit.
David Jackson is powerful as Hoke. He has a strong sense of dignity and very respectful of his interactions with his employer without ever seeming especially servile. Jared Michael Delaney rounds out the cast as Daisy’s son, Boolie. Delany is very effective in his interactions with both characters, and does a great job of mediating the initial differences between the two.
Director, Marc Robbin punches up the humor in the script, and does a great job of taking what is essentially a modest show and bringing it to a larger venue. The set was very simple, yet appropriate. I loved the little touches, like modernizing the chairs used to symbolize the automobiles to designate the passage of time.
While Driving Miss Daisy will never match the stagecraft extravaganza of an Andrew Lloyd Weber musical nor the plot complexities of Arthur Miller, it is very effective at what it does. It is an unassuming story that highlights understanding through familiarity, and this is probably much more needed in 2025 than dancing cats or dying salesmen.
Playing now through September 28th. Please note that this season, Fulton shows start at 7:30pm not 8. Buy your tickets and plan accordingly.
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