Harbor Lights Offers Mother's Day Special for DRIVING MISS DAISY, Running Now thru 5/18

The Harbor Lights Theater Company, led by Executive Artistic Director Tamara Jenkins, Co-Artistic Director Jay Montgomery, and Associate Producer Beth Gittleman, announces that special preparations are being made for the Mother's Day performances of Driving Miss Daisy, running today, May 9th through the 18th at the Music Hall at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Gardens.

Antique cars from the Staten Island Region Antique Automobile Club of America will be on display from 12:00 noon to 2:00 PM on Mother's Day outside the play's venue. Patrons are invited to have their photos taken "Driving Miss Daisy Style" in front of the antique cars. Copies of the photos will be forwarded to patrons from Harbor Lights.

All ticket holders receive $5 dollars off by using the ticket code: momsday5.

"Thanks to the generosity of the Staten Island Antique Auto Club, we will be displaying cars from the period - Driving Miss Daisy begins in 1948 - before the 2:00 matinee, so our patrons will be able to see vintage cars up close, take pictures, and get into the spirit of the play. It will be a treat for everyone, especially the moms in our lives. And we will also be offering the mothers in the audience a daisy, of course," says Ms. Jenkins.

"At the second Mother's Day performance, at 7:00 PM that evening, mothers in the audience will also be offered champagne and sweets, in addition to daisies," adds Mr. Montgomery.

"One of the cars that will be on display on Mother's Day, a 1948 four-door Dodge sedan - the same year as Driving Miss Daisy's Hudson Commodore -- was used in a photo shoot for the production. The car is owned by Paul Arena, a Great Kills resident, who is only the second owner of the car. Paul purchased the car for 300 dollars forty four years ago! We are so grateful that he is sharing this treasure with our patrons on this very special holiday," says Ms. Gittleman.

"In Driving Miss Daisy, so many of the important moments, both heartwarming and life-changing, take place in the Werthan's car over the twenty-five years that Hoke drives Miss Daisy. It's where we see most of their story unfold, watching them go from wary co-travelers to close friends," continues Ms. Jenkins.

"One of the themes of the play examines the changing relationship between parent and child as they both age. It's perfect for a Mother's Day treat," says Mr. Montgomery.

Tickets on sale now: Single tickets from $35 to $45; seniors and students $5 off. All ticket holders receive $5 dollars off by using the ticket code: momsday5. This offer cannot be combined with any other ticket offers or group sale discounts and cannot be applied after a ticket purchase has been completed. For purchasing at the box office, patrons must mention the code for the deal to apply.

Purchase tickets at: www.hltc.org or Ovationtix, 866-411-8111. For more information, call: 718-273-7516. All performances at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Gardens, 1000 Richmond Terrace, SI, NY, 10301. All performances are handicapped accessible. Free parking, security patrolled premises and a Wine Bar also provided.

About the show: Driving Miss Daisy, by Alfred Uhry, begins in 1948, and tells the story of the unlikely relationship between Daisy Werthan, a wealthy 72 year-old Jewish widow in Atlanta, and her chauffeur, Hoke Colburn, a proud, soft spoken African-American man. Spending twenty five years together, during a period of massive changes in America -- in which they both face bigotry and discrimination -- they ultimately become friends. Funny and powerfully affecting, Driving Miss Daisy won the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and inspired the 1989 movie, which won four Oscars, including Best Picture.

Joy Franz, whose Broadway credits include Pippin, Musical Chairs, A Little Night Music, Open Admissions, Guys & Dolls, the original West End production of Company, and Into The Woods (twice!) returns to Harbor Lights to play "Miss Daisy." Joy is a favorite of Harbor Lights' audiences, having hilariously played "Claree" in Steel Magnolias and "Lilian" in I Hate Hamlet.

Staten Islander Larry Marshall returns to Harbor Lights to play "Hoke." Mr. Marshall's numerous Broadway credits include The Color Purple, Hair, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Rock-A-Bye Hamlet, Comin' Uptown, Oh Brother!, Big Deal, Play On!, The Three Penny Opera, The Full Monty, and Porgy and Bess (for which he received a Tony nomination); film credits include "Simon Zealotes" in Jesus Christ Superstar and "Cab Calloway" in The Cotton Club. Larry is also well known to Harbor Lights' audiences, having appeared in three productions, including as "Mayor Shinn" in The Music Man.

"Boolie" will be played by Jay Montgomery. Mr. Montgomery, whose credits include Falsettos on Broadway and over seventy regional productions, is Harbor Lights' Co-Artistic Director, and has appeared in I Hate Hamlet, Marry Me a Little, The Music Man, and My Way for the company, as well as directing An O. Henry Christmas, The Empress, and My Way.

Stephen Nachamie also returns to Harbor Lights to direct, having just helmed the company's hit holiday production of It's a Wonderful Life, as well as I Hate Hamlet in Harbor Lights' first season. Mr. Nachamie most recently received unanimous praise for his landmark production of A Chorus Line at the Olney, which garnered multiple Helen Hayes Award nominations.

About The Harbor Lights Theatre Company: The Harbor Lights Theater Company is dedicated to "illuminating the human experience" through the highest quality theatrical productions and educational outreach within the borough of Staten Island, New York. We seek to establish a national presence and a reputation for excellence, thereby contributing to the renaissance of our community and enhancing its reputation.

Harbor Lights is the first and only professional Equity Theater Company in Staten Island's history. Since founding Harbor Lights in 2010, Broadway veterans and Harbor Lights Founding Artistic Directors Tamara Jenkins and Jay Montgomery, and Founding Producer Beth Gittleman, have begun building a bridge from Broadway to Staten Island, bringing the nation's best to work with their community's finest. In four seasons of producing plays and musicals, Harbor Lights has presented over 75 Broadway professionals, including Tony, Grammy, Oscar, Emmy, Drama Desk, and Obie award-winning and - nominated artists, in fifteen productions at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Gardens.

About Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Gardens: Once a home for retired seamen, this regional cultural center has become the perfect environment for public enrichment and enjoyment. With 83 acres of stunning grounds, architectural landmarks, three museums, and 17 gardens, no two experiences can ever be the same at Snug Harbor. Discover the undiscovered and watch as history, performing arts, visual arts, horticulture, and agriculture come alive at the best place you've never been.

Photo Credit: bittenbyazebra

To post a comment, you must register and login.