Meet the Cast of Driving Miss Daisy: Joy Williams – “Daisy”

By Joseph Pabst (Director of Driving Miss Daisy)

(Note: Driving Miss Daisy has been extended through November 2 at Barksdale at Hanover Tavern. This is the second in a series in which we shine the spotlight on each of the three members of the cast. Part 1 is available here.)

If you were to see Joy Williams on the street or in the grocery store, you would hardly confuse her for a 72-year-old woman. She is a tall, strong vibrant woman with a friendly smile, infectious laugh and a full head of blond hair. And she runs marathons – literally!

Still, Joy transforms herself into the elderly role of “Daisy Werthan” for each performance of Driving Miss Daisy. She starts the play at an astonishingly convincing 72 years old, and then continues to age over the course of an hour or so until she reaches 97. Because of the time constraints and fluidity of the play, this can only be partially accomplished with wigs, clothes and make-up. The real transformation is in Joy’s acting, her body, her voice. Before stepping on stage, Joy is well aware of the age she must portray, and fully inhabits the character at that age.

Joy is no stranger to Richmond stages, performing steadily at Barksdale at Hanover Tavern, Barksdale at Willow Lawn, Theatre IV and the Swift Creek Mill Theatre since she moved back here 18 years ago. Some of her personal favorite roles include: Bella in Lost in Yonkers, Charlotte Hay in Moon Over Buffalo, Edith Banks in Barefoot in the Park (welcoming Barksdale audiences back to the Hanover Tavern in 2006, after 10 years), and now, of course, Daisy Werthan. She is also a resident actor in the Swift Creek Mill’s youth theatre season. Younger audiences may know her (if they don’t recognize her) as Drifty the Snowman, a character created and written by Paul Deiss.

With two boys (Cory, 12; and Sean, 9), the Williams’ house has become the hub for neighborhood kids – always busy, loud and a little crazy. Joy is very active at Sean’s school, serving on the PTA Board, helping out in class, taking charge of the after school enrichment program and talent show. “I’d like to help out at Cory’s school,” Joy says, “but he won’t let me anywhere near his school!” Joy also has the good fortune to be the stepmom to two wonderful young men: Arle, almost 24, and Michael, nearly 21. “They came into my life when they were 7 and 4 … hard to believe.” Now they are both in college, and she and her husband, Eric, try to see them as much as they can. Besides taking care of all her boys (Eric included!), Joy gets a real kick out of gardening as well. “Roses are my favorite flower. Over the years, I’ve planted over 100 rose bushes in the garden and around the yard.” And in the midst of it all, she and her wonderful husband “try to eke out moments to be together!”

Joy shares a great sense of humor with her character. And like Daisy, she is very strong willed and independent. As Daisy says, “I was brought up to do for myself.” That “do-it-yourself” philosophy is part of Joy’s personal mantra as well. But while both the actress and the character are mothers, Joy is far more demonstrative of her affections than Daisy. “I’m a very touchy-feely, huggy person. The sun rises and sets with my kids. I make sure they know it, too.” Joy has a very close relationship with her mother as well, which is also very demonstrative. Daisy’s relationship with her son Boolie is more reserved, though they know how to push each other’s buttons and do so often. (Joy gets a real kick out of playing those scenes with Garet Chester.) “My kids know my buttons also, but I’m forever hugging them, kissing them… they have to ask me to stop!”

The parent/child dynamic in Driving Miss Daisy really speaks to Joy. “It’s a show that everyone can relate to on some level, whether you’re in the position of watching a parent age and faced with those challenges, or you’re the one aging and having to come to terms with giving up some of your independence.” Then there’s the unlikely friendship that develops between Daisy & Hoke. “I love the way their relationship remains throughout their entire lives. I love the humanity and the realness in the play. I love their friendship. And it’s a gift to be able to play this role with Jim Bynum.”

Oh, and about those marathons: She’s run 3 full and 5 half marathons. “I like the personal glory of running the full marathons, but it takes an amazing amount of time to train for them. And right now, I don’t have the time to devote to the extensive training.” She’ll be running her 6th half marathon in November. So marathoners beware: You may be outrun by “little ol’ Daisy”!


Tickets to Driving Miss Daisy are available online. Many performances have sold out, so please reserve early to avoid disappointment.

Three More Rave Reviews

Posted by Bruce Miller
We received three more rave reviews this week, drawing crowds of laughing, loving theatregoers.

Weighing in on The Clean House, Dave Timberline provided the following quotes:

“Masterful!
A Smart Story ~ an Air of Enchantment
Amusing, Moving and a Little Bit Magical
Exceptional Performances ~ Sweet, Supportive Chemistry
Refreshing and Inspiring!”

--David Timberline, STYLE

Adding their kudos to the glowing review written earlier for Driving Miss Daisy by Susie Haubenstock of the R T-D, Joan Tupponce and John Porter contributed the following:

“Remarkable!
Depth and Feeling ~ A Joy to Watch
As comfortable as a plump easy chair
Derives its humor and tenderness from life
Just Plain Fun!”

--Joan Tupponce, Richmond.com

“Tremendous!
A Great Script ~ A Good Cast
The chemistry between Williams and Bynum is especially strong
An old sweet song, fresh in our hearts
A Great Evening!”

--John Porter, WCVE-FM

Daisy is joining Barefoot in the Park and Smoke on the Mountain as our biggest Hanover hits since reopening the theatre almost three years ago. Joy Williams, Jim Bynum and Garet Chester continue to earn standing ovations at every performance.

The Clean House is proving to be a real crowd pleaser at Barksdale Theatre Willow Lawn, adding immeasurably to the success of the Sara Ruhl Festival, coproduced by Barksdale Theatre and the Firehouse Theatre Project. Audiences are loving discovering a joyous new play by a dazzling new playwright.

If you still haven't seen Driving Miss Daisy or The Clean House, why not make your plans today. They are both wonderful shows that I know you'll enjoy. $15 rush tickets are available for all seats that remain unsold three hours before curtain. Call the box office for more information - 282-2620. We're extremely proud of this outstanding pair of heartwarming hits.

See you at the theatre!

--Bruce Miller

Meet the Cast of Driving Miss Daisy: Garet Chester – “Boolie”

Posted by Joseph Pabst (Director of Driving Miss Daisy)
(Note: Driving Miss Daisy runs from September 19 through October 26, 2008 at the Barksdale at Hanover Tavern. Over the next several weeks, we will shine the spotlight on each of the three members of the cast.)

Garet Chester has been on hiatus from the professional stages of Richmond theatre for nearly 15 years. But Driving Miss Daisy has drawn him back onto the boards. Why? “Because of its wholesome nature,” says Garet. “It’s a show that you can bring your teenagers to see. This show is not just wholesome … it’s warm, touching, thought provoking, and it will definitely make people laugh and smile.”

Portraying “Boolie Werthan” (Daisy’s son) has given Garet an acting challenge as well. He is a comedic actor at heart, but this character is written to be a bit of the straightman – providing some humor while basically being a thread that keeps the show level. Like Boolie, Garet is a very playful guy who loves to “get people’s goat” whenever he can. However, Garet is less concerned about keeping up appearances than his on-stage counterpart. “I don’t think I’m afraid of what people will think about certain unorthodox actions I may take. If I believe it, I do it. I don’t worry about the status quo.”

On the stage, Garet considers playing the Wizard in Theatre IV’s The Wizard of Oz among his personal favorites. Having grown up watching the movie, it allowed him to play a childhood fantasy role. It was also an acting challenge to play three different characters – the Wizard, Professor Marvel and the Emerald City Gatekeeper. In Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, Garet took the opportunity to stretch his acting skills playing Alfred, the young man who plays all the female characters in a Shakespearean troupe. He portrayed Allistair Spenlow in a production of Move Over Mrs. Markham, a mistaken-identity role which kept the audience guessing… and laughing a lot – a reaction he never objects to!

But rather than his stage work, Garet is probably best known to Richmonders for his voice. His career on Richmond radio stations as the “morning guy” made him a celebrity all over town, affording him the opportunity to speak in person at all kinds of events and to be the frontman for a number of charities and causes. On television, he has hosted telethons, appeared on interview programs, and even had his own show on Channel 8 for over 2 years: All Night Long. Garet describes the show as:

“… a cross between USA's Up All Night or Elvira and Saturday Night Live...with one cast member. It was a great experience in improv and quick-change comedy. Since it ran from 11:00 PM to 6:00 AM, my audience was ‘diverse’. My usual stream of fan mail included regular correspondence from several of Virginia's finest correctional facilities. That was quite interesting!”

This style of character comedy mixed with improv became Garet’s trademark. He was Chameleon Boy, making personal appearances in costume as famous movie stars, presidents or other crazy characters. And he continues his “impressionovisational” work to this day. Lite 98 listeners will be glad to know that Garet Chester and “Bubba Massey Valentine III” are one and the same! (Now you know why they never appear in the same room together…)

His life offstage is filled with a mixture of work and family. Most Richmonders may be unaware that Garet is a successful businessman in his own right, constantly ranking in the top 5-10% of Richmond Real Estate agents. Because his business is home-based, he is fortunate to spend lots of quality time with his wife and family. His daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren live with him; and his son and daughter-in-law live close by as well.

Garet considers his life a ministry, and his musical and comedic talents are his tools. He sings for seniors around Richmond, and performs slapstick for the underprivileged around the world. For the past twenty years, he has spent a few weeks each year on foreign mission trips.

“Bringing a smile to otherwise somber faces is my most rewarding pastime.”

--Joseph Pabst

Miss Daisy Wows the Crowds and Wins Raves

Posted by Bruce Miller
Driving Miss Daisy, our funny and poignant fall show at Hanover Tavern, opened on Friday evening and today earned it's first rave and fourth standing ovation! Daisy was directed expertly by Joe Pabst. The heartwarming play stars Joy Williams, Jim Bynum and Garet Chester.

In this morning's T-D, Susan Haubenstock writes: "Nostalgia is the first emotion elicited by Driving Miss Daisy--nostalgia for the play's period, the post-WWII years up through the civil rights era, and for the 1987 play itself. Alfred Uhry's Pulitzer Prize-winning work pointedly and touchingly looks at race relations in the South by focusing on one well-to-do elderly Jewish widow and one slightly less elderly black man. Through their interactions over 25 years the playwright delicately reveals the prejudices, blind spots and humanity representative of many Americans, yet particular to these two people."

Susie goes on to praise just about everything. Here are the review quotes we'll be pulling and publishing for anyone who'll read them:

“A Godsend!

Three FINE actors:

Joy Williams is a marvelous Miss Daisy.

Jim Bynum inhabits Hoke fully, giving us his dignity, warmth and humor.

Garet Chester is the mirror for both of them.

Joe Pabst directs with emphasis on the comedy,
but he doesn’t short-change the serious moments at all.

A touching, excellent ride!”

--Susan Haubenstock, Richmond Times-Dispatch

The wonderful costumes, wigs and make-up are by Sue Griffin. The attractive set design is by Amy Bale and David Powers, with outstanding scenic painting by Terrie Powers. The evocative lighting is by Bennett Fidlow. But at the end of the day, it's Joy, Jim and Garet who will knock your socks off.

The show is already selling well, and the box office should catch fire after this morning's review. So please plan to join us now for this very funny, very touching look at a meaningful and good-humored American story.

Hope to see you at our Hanover Tavern theatre!

--Bruce Miller

Singing to Help Others

Posted by Bruce Miller
A concert reading of the songs from the Tony Award-winning musical Parade will be presented tonight and tomorrow in benefit performances at Barksdale Willow Lawn. Thirty-three great singers will join together to celebrate the music of Jason Robert Brown, one of Broadway’s hottest “new composers.” The benefit concert is being coordinated by Hannah Zold, an alum of several Barksdale musicals including Into the Woods, The Full Monty and Mame. Music direction is by Damas E. Boudreaux.

The volunteer cast is comprised of many of the finest theatre voices from Richmond and beyond. All funds raised are being contributed by Zold and her performers to Barksdale’s Bifocals Theatre Project (which takes touring one-acts into senior centers throughout Greater Richmond at little or no charge) and Barksdale’s hospital audience program (which makes tickets to musicals and comedies available free-of-charge to families who come to Richmond to be with a child undergoing treatment at an area hospital).

Parade, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown and book by Alfred Uhry, is one of the most acclaimed new musicals of Broadway's last decade. It opened at Lincoln Center ten years ago, and received the 1999 Tony Award for Best Book (Uhry) and Best Score (Jason Robert Brown). It was nominated for Best Musical, but lost that year to Fosse, the tribute to Bob Fosse’s legendary choreography.

Quoting from Wikipedia, “The musical concerns the real-life 1913 trial of Jewish factory manager Leo Frank, who was accused of raping and murdering a 13-year-old employee, Mary Phagan. The trial, sensationalized by the media, aroused anti-Semitic tensions in Atlanta and throughout Georgia. When Frank's sentence was commuted due to possible problems with the trial, he was transferred to a prison in Milledgeville, Georgia where a lynching party kidnapped him from the prison. Frank was taken to Phagan's hometown of Marietta, Georgia, and he was hanged. The Anti-Defamation League was formed partly in response to Leo Frank's trial and lynching.”

Broadway director Harold “Prince turned to Brown (pictured to the left) to write the score after Stephen Sondheim turned the project down. Prince's daughter, Daisy, had brought Brown to her father's attention. Uhry, who grew up in Atlanta, had personal knowledge of the Frank story, as his great-uncle owned the pencil factory run by Leo Frank.”

“The show was Brown's first Broadway production. His music has ‘subtle and appealing melodies that draw on a variety of influences, from pop-rock to folk to rhythm and blues and gospel.’ The plot hews closely to the historical story. The true villains of the piece are portrayed as the prosecutor Hugh Dorsey (later the governor of Georgia and then a judge) and the rabid publisher Tom Watson (later elected a U.S. senator).”

The Murder of Mary Phagan, a movie based on the same historical incident, was filmed in locations throughout Greater Richmond in 1987, starring Jack Lemmon as Georgia Gov. John Slaton and Peter Gallagher as Leo Frank.

Parade is the third in playwright Alfred Uhry’s “Atlanta Trilogy.” The first play in the trilogy, Driving Miss Daisy, will be presented at Barksdale Hanover Tavern this fall, starring Joy Williams, Jim Bynum and Garet Chester, and directed by Joe Pabst.

Jason Robert Brown's new musical 13 (pictured to the right) is set to open on Broadway this September. The entire cast of 13 is made up of 13 teen actors, and the entire band is comprised of teen musicians. The story of the musical concerns a happy 13-year-old from NYC who, weeks before his bar mitzvah, moves with his parents to Indiana where he must begin a new life.

If you love great singing, new musicals and/or stirring drama, or if you want to support this cast of magnificent performing artists as they raise funds for two worthy programs, please come to Barksdale Willow Lawn for the 8 pm performance tonight (Sunday) or tomorrow (Monday). Tickets are available at the door for $15, or you can purchase them in advance at the box office for $12.

Having listened in on two rehearsals, I can report that the singers are amazing. I can’t wait to see and hear this huge and talented cast performing these rousing songs.

See you at the theatre!

--Bruce Miller

Casting and Comments

Posted by Bruce Miller
As I’ve mentioned before, I read and appreciate Dave Timberline’s informative blog, http://www.richmondvatheater.blogspot.com/. A lot of important theatrical issues and perceptions are raised and discussed on his electronic bulletin board.

Recently Dave hosted some interesting and well intentioned chat about casting in Richmond theatres. It all began when an anonymous commenter reported on remarks made by an unnamed director at the start of an unnamed audition. In his remarks, the director asserted that his unnamed theatre was open to newcomers. The anonymous commenter suggested that these remarks were somewhat disingenuous, noting that when the auditions were over, a well-known Richmond star was cast in one of the leading roles and a talented newcomer was overlooked.

This initial comment was followed by a lot of dialogue about whether or not the anonymous commenter should have stated these opinions anonymously since they could be perceived as being critical of the director, the theatre, and/or the actor cast.

It’s all good.

Now I’m going to pull a Warren Beatty. At least I’ve always heard it’s a Warren Beatty. When in 1973 Carly Simon wrote and sang, “You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you,” Warren Beatty, one of Ms Simon’s former romantic interests, called to thank her for the song.

After reading all the chat about the unnamed director, I’m pretty sure it’s me and that the unnamed auditions being alluded to were the recent auditions for Shirley Valentine and Driving Miss Daisy. If I’m wrong, I’m sorry. If I’m right, then I guess I am that vain. Now, if I only looked like or had the talent of Warren Beatty.

Before the auditions for Shirley V and Driving Miss D, several actors called to ask if roles had been pre-cast. When I told them “no,” they expressed disbelief. Several had heard from the “best of sources” that Irene Ziegler was playing Shirley and Betty Ann Grove was playing Daisy. It’s no surprise to anyone that I love Irene Ziegler and Betty Ann Grove, and both women have ably owned these roles in the past. But I assured all comers that the roles had not been pre-cast for the 2008 productions.

That can’t be true, some actors intimated. No theatre would pick shows like these without having someone in mind for the demanding roles of Shirley and Daisy. There are some actors we’re interested in seeing, I intimated right back, but no roles have been pre-cast. Everyone has an equal shot. Please come.

That was the truth.

Before the auditions began, I was pleased to see a large turnout and several new faces in the crowd. I’m humbled by large turnouts and new faces.

I made a few welcoming remarks and thanked people for coming to the auditions, particularly the new people. I reiterated that all roles were open. I stated what I believe to be the truth, that Barksdale theatre and every other theatre in town welcome newcomers, and frequently cast newcomers. I acknowledged that we also cast Richmond’s best actors on a continuing basis, because of their talent.

When the auditions were over, four actors were cast. Two of the four (Jill Bari Steinberg and Jim Bynum) will be acting at Hanover Tavern for the first time. The third actor (Garet Chester) will be appearing at Hanover Tavern for the first time since 1976. The fourth (Joy Williams) will be reappearing at the Tavern after a starring gig there two and a half years ago.

All four were cast because I thought they were the ones best suited to the roles. I feel really blessed to have these four wonderful actors in the two shows.

The anonymous commenter on Dave’s blog notes that there was a very talented actor from out-of-town who auditioned for one of these four roles, and that there was considerable buzz about this actor’s talent. That is completely true. That actor’s talent did not go unnoticed. And let me extend that thought, if I may. There were several very talented actors there, all of whom were top contenders for the parts. None of their talents went unnoticed.

As several folks mentioned on Dave’s blog, there is a lot more involved in a casting decision than what may be perceived listening to three audition speeches.

Scripts call for specific physical types, which some actors meet and others don’t, no matter how well they may read.

Budgets allow for certain expenditures that enable the employment of some actors and discourage the employment of others, based on their financial requirements.

Ticket sale goals encourage the casting of actors who have earned positive name recognition in the Greater Richmond marketplace—and I stress the word “earned.”

Barksdale accepts its responsibility to professional actors who have earned (there's that word again) their place in Greater Richmond’s top tier, and who may not stay in Richmond if they can't find professional employment opportunities.

To me, all of this supports my contention that:
1 newcomers are welcome and frequently cast
2 Richmond’s best actors are cast over and over again because they are Richmond’s best actors

If newcomers fail to come to auditions because they think they have no chance, Richmond theatre will suffer. If our most talented veterans leave Richmond because they can’t find enough employment, Richmond theatre will suffer. In an attempt to address these conflicting realities, producers juggle to the best of their abilities.

As a final note, Guys and Dolls is currently employing 26 actors. Thirteen of them are acting with Barksdale for the first time.

--Bruce Miller