DRIVING MISS DAISY Opens 4/15 at The Plaza Theatre

Lyric Theatre, Oklahoma's premiere professional theatre company, concludes the 2010 "Lyric at the Plaza" season with DRIVING MISS DAISY, playing live at the Plaza Theatre this April 15 through 25. Alfred Uhry's Pulitzer Prize winning play takes place in the deep South in 1948 and tells the story of Daisy Werthan, a rich and sharp-tongued Jewish widow who must rely on the services of a chauffeur, a thoughtful, soft-spoKen Black man named Hoke. In a series of scenes spanning 25 years, the two grow close and develop a unique friendship despite their mutual differences.

This heart-warming production stars three talented actors, two of which will be familiar to Lyric Theatre audiences. Christopher Harrod (Lyric Theatre: Chicago) will play the role of Boolie Werthan, Daisy's son who forces her to use a chauffeur after learning that no one with insure her. Harrod is a Lyric Theatre veteran, performing in many productions as well as serving as the former Director of Education for Lyric's ThElma Gaylord Academy. The role of Daisy Werthan will be played by Darrie Lawrence (Broadway: Come Back, Little Sheba) who recently performed as Clariee in the May 2009 Lyric Theatre production of Steel Magnolias at the Plaza Theatre. Keith Johnson (Olney Theatre: Driving Miss Daisy) plays Hoke Coleburn, the kind driver who eventually becomes Daisy's best friend.

DRIVING MISS DAISY is directed by Guy Stroman, who was one of the original developers of the hit musical Forever Plaid in 1989. Stroman's work as a director has been seen in plays and musicals throughout the country, including Driving Miss Daisy, Steel Magnolias, Mame and Always, Patsy Cline at Casa Manana in Ft. Worth, A Tale of Two Cities at the Little Shubert Theatre in New York, and various productions at Mountain Playhouse in Pennsylvania.

Tickets for DRIVING MISS DAISY are $40. Senior discounts (ages 60+), Group discounts (10+), and Student discounts are also available. Students can also take advantage of Lyric's Student Rush tickets, which can be purchased for $15, ½ hour before show time with ID. Performances are April 15 through 25: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 2:00pm and 8:00pm, and Sundays at 3:00pm. Tickets: www.lyrictheatreokc.com, (405) 524-9312, or in person at 1727 NW 16th St, Oklahoma City, OK.

Lyric's production of DRIVING MISS DAISY is sponsored by Chesapeake Energy Corporation, the Oklahoman, Bank of Oklahoma, The Chickasaw Nation, Braum's Ice Cream & Dairy Stores, and the Compton Family (in loving memory of Vincent L. Compton). Annual support is provided by Allied Arts, the Oklahoma Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

In Oklahoma City, the renovation and opening of the Plaza Theatre means that audiences can look forward to a world-class theatrical experience, complete with free accessible parking, ultra-comfortable seating, and a full service cash bar - all in Oklahoma City's sharpest new venue. Lyric will also continue to produce its annual summer season at the Civic Center Music Hall in downtown Oklahoma City, beginning in June with PUMP BOYS & DINETTES and continuing with CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, 42nd STREET and BUDDY: THE Buddy Holly STORY.

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