Sometimes the most important mile of a journey is the one where you finally let someone else take the wheel.
At Cape Fear Regional Theatre (CFRT), the engine is idling on a car trip of a lifetime, but the real story is the two stubborn souls sitting inside. Directed by Laura Josepher and starring four-time Daytime Emmy winner Kim Zimmer, this production of Driving Miss Daisy is more than a trip through the changing American South. It’s a funny, heart-tugging look at a 25-year friendship that starts with a car crash and ends with a life-changing bond.
Zimmer, widely known from her days as Reva Shayne on Guiding Light, plays the proud and sharp-tongued Daisy Werthan. Marvin Bell plays her patient driver Hoke Coleburn in the play, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1988.
“This is my fifth time portraying Miss Daisy’s chauffeur,” Bell said. “The role is iconic. I have said before that a Shakespearean actor will play Hamlet as many times as he is asked. That is how I feel about this role. I treasure every opportunity to bring Hoke to life.”
He said that each time he takes on the role, he learns more about the character and has been able to add more to his performance. He credits Josepher for that space to make adjustments to his previous portrayals.
“She allowed me to live deeper in this character and bring out his humanity more than I have before,” Bell said.
Josepher, a born-and-bred New Yorker who has been directing for over 30 years, is back at CFRT for the sixth time and noted the weight of this task.
“The roles of Daisy and Hoke are both extremely challenging as the actors are asked to tell the stories of these characters over the course of 25 years,” Josepher said. “Both Ms. Zimmer and Mr. Bell, along with our third performer Greg King, have the emotional depth required to bring audiences on that journey.”
King, who has grown to be a Fayetteville favorite onstage, said Driving Miss Daisy has been a truly unique experience. King has appeared in over 30 productions at CFRT—ranging from splashy musicals like Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Chicago, and Ragtime to plays like Trip to Bountiful, On Golden Pond—and he said this has been a truly unique experience.
“In the big musicals you’ve got an orchestra, a huge cast, and a lot of spectacle helping you out,” King said. “In Driving Miss Daisy, it’s just the three of us out there. No tap numbers, no jazz hands—just storytelling.”
He described it as “simple, honest, and a little terrifying in the best possible way.” Working with Zimmer sounded intimidating, but because she was so warm and generous. it felt easy from the very first rehearsal, he added.
“She brings incredible depth and sharp instincts to Miss Daisy, and it makes building that complicated mother-son relationship very natural,” King said. “We seemed to just click on day one.”
King said at its core, Driving Miss Daisy is just three actors telling a deeply human story with characters that this specific audience will feel like they know personally.
”There is no spectacle—just heart,” King said. “And sometimes that’s the most powerful kind of theatre.”
Performances for Driving Miss Daisy run through April 4, with 7:30 p.m. performances Wednesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. matinees on Saturdays and Sundays. There is one 10 a.m. matinee on April 2.
Tickets range from $16 to $30. Military Appreciation Night is March 25 and Teacher Appreciation Night is March 27 with 25% off ticket prices.
Driving Miss Daisy is rated PG and is recommended for ages 11 and up with parental guidance. The show explores sensitive historical themes, including racism and antisemitism, and features mild language, a car accident and references to violence.
For more information, visit the Cape Fear Regional Theatre or call the box office at 910-323-4233. Tickets can be purchased in person at the new offsite office at 310 Green St., which is open from noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. During performances, the box office will be open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, moving to the 1707 Owen Drive theater location at 5:30 p.m.