Gwen Taylor, Don Warrington & Ian Porter Set for Alfred Uhry's DRIVING MISS DAISY UK Tour, Opening Oct 8

Following critically acclaimed sell-out runs on Broadway and in the West End, Alfred Uhry's Pulitzer Prize winning play, DRIVING MISS DAISY, starring Gwen Taylor as Daisy Werthan, Don Warrington as Hoke Coleburn and Ian Porter as Boolie Werthan will go on a national tour from today, 8 October 2012.

For a limited season only, DRIVING MISS DAISY will tour to the following venues:

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford from 8-13 October
Croydon Ashcroft Theatre from 15-20 October
Richmond Theatre from 22 - 27 October
Bath Theatre Royal from 29 October–3 November
Malvern Festival Theatre from 5 - 10 November
Brighton Theatre Royal from 12 - 17 November
Derby Theatre from 19 - 24 November
Southend Palace Theatre from 26 November - 1 December 2012

DRIVING MISS DAISY recently won the 2012 Whatsonstage.com award for Best Play Revival voted for by over 10,000 theatregoers. The Original Production of DRIVING MISS DAISY was Directed by David Esbjornson, Designed by John Lee Beatty, had Costumes by Jane Greenwood, Lighting by Peter Kaczorowski, Music by Mark Bennett and Sound Designed by Christopher Cronin.

Alfred Uhry wrote DRIVING MISS DAISY in 1987 and the same year it debuted Off-Broadway at the Playwrights Horizons Theater. Two years later the play was made into a film with Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy. Uhry received an Oscar® for 'Best Adapted Screenplay' while the film was awarded 'Best Picture'.

When Daisy Werthan, a widowed, 72 year-old Jewish woman living in midcentury Atlanta, is deemed too old to drive, her son Boolie hires Hoke Coleburn, anAfrican American man, to serve as her chauffeur. What begins as a troubled and hostile pairing soon blossoms into a profound, life-altering friendship that transcends all the societal boundaries placed between them.

Gwen Taylor (Daisy Werthan) is most recently known for playing Anne Foster on screen in Coronation Street. Other notable TV credits include Peg in Heartbeat, the title role in Barbara, Rita in A Bit of A Do, Margaret in Belonging and Gen in Conjugal Rites. Gwen's many stage credits include The Butterfly Lion for Leicester Curve, Calendar Girls on tour, Prick Up Your Ears at the Comedy Theatre, Shirley Valentine on tour, Heritage at Hampstead Theatre and Clouds and Ripen Our Darkness at The Royal Court Theatre. Her film work includes Monty Python's Life of Brian and Richard's Things.

Don Warrington (Hoke Coleburn) is best known for playing Philip Smith in the hit TV series Rising Damp alongside Leonard Rossiter and was most currently seen on screen in Morse. Other television credits include Red Dwarf, Lovejoy, Doctor Who, Casualty, The Crouches, New Street Law and Death in Paradise. His stage credits include A Statement of Regret and The Mysteries for The National Theatre, Elmina's Kitchen at the Garrick Theatre and The Merchant of Venice at Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

Ian Porter (Boolie Werthan) plays Slim in Of Mice and Men at the Watermill Theatre. His previous theatre credits include August: Osage County at The National Theatre, The Exonerated at the New Players Theatre, The Archbishops Ceiling and You Can't Take It With You at Southwark Playhouse and Voices From September 11th at the Old Vic. Ian's screen credits include Saving Private Ryan, Bourne Ultimatum, Mr Bean's Holiday, Hotel Babylon, The Jacket, Doctor Who, Bonekickers and Moonshot.

Alfred Uhry is an award winning playwright who has won a Pulitzer Prize, an Oscar® and two Tony Awards®. His initial work as a lyricist includes Here's Where I Belong and The Robber Bridegroom for which he wrote the book and lyrics. DRIVING MISS DAISY was his first play and was followed by The Last Night of Ballyhoo and Parade, both of which were Tony Award winning pieces, Without Walls and Edgardo Mine. He also wrote the book for Broadway musical LoveMusik.

Award winning director/producer David Esbjornson most recently directed A Few Good Men with Rob Lowe in the West End. His other directorial credits include The Goat or Who is Sylvia, The Ride Down Mt. Morgan, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Perestroika, Resurrection Blues, Gabriel, Trumpery, Molly Ivins and How? How?Why? Why? Why? He has also served as Artistic Director of NYC Classic Stage Company and Seattle Repertory Theatre.

Website: www.daisyontour.co.uk.

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