Theatre Jacksonville opens its 105th consecutive season of community theater on Sept. 13 with a beloved favorite, Driving Miss Daisy, as its “Classic in San Marco” production.

This timeless tale of the relationship between Miss Daisy, an independent White, Southern Jewish lady, and Hoke Colburn, her Black driver, received a Pulitzer Prize, and the film version – starring Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman – garnered four Academy Awards. Theatre Jacksonville’s outstanding volunteer cast and crew will be bringing this heartwarming and affirming story to life on its historic playhouse stage.

“We always look forward to opening our seasons with a beloved classic play – and Driving Miss Daisy might be one of the all-time audience favorites,” said Theatre Jacksonville Executive Director Sarah Boone. “It reminds us how important it is to open our minds and hearts to those who are different from us and how friendships can blossom in the most unexpected places.”

Driving Miss Daisy will be directed by Rhodie Jackson and will feature Alec Hadden, Eugene Lindsey and Jen Mercer. Shows will run from Sept. 13 through Sept. 29, with evening performances at 7:30 p.m. and two matinee performances at 2:00 p.m. Sept. 22 and 29.
           

Season memberships and subscription packages are currently available, and prices are as follows:         
All-Access Membership
Individual Adult Member (18-59 years old): $170
Individual Senior/Military Member (60+ or military ID): $150
All individual memberships receive one complimentary All-Access Pass that includes all Theatre Jacksonville season productions including The Classic in San Marco and Seasons Extra. Additional show tickets will cost $22, as available.

Season Subscription
Individual Adult Member (18-59 years old): $140
Individual Senior/Military Member (60+ or military ID): $120
All individual subscriptions receive one complimentary ticket for each of the five Theatre Jacksonville Mainstage productions (does not include the Classic in San Marco and Season Extras). Additional show tickets will cost $25, as available.
            Single tickets to Driving Miss Daisy are available for $31. Mainstage season productions will begin in November. They include:
¨     The Foreigner by Larry Shue, opening November 8 – Set in a fishing lodge in rural Georgia, this hilarious comedy about a shy British man on holiday encountering a foreigner who speaks no English is full of surprises and delights audiences with its play on Southern hospitality and mysterious schemes.
¨     The Women of Lockerbie by Deborah Brevoort, opening January 17 – Inspired by a true story and written in the form of a Greek tragedy, the Women of Lockerbie tells the story of a mother from New Jersey whose son was lost in the crash of Pan Am 103. She meets the women of Lockerbie, who are engaged in a tussle with the U.S. government to obtain the clothing of the victims so they can turn an act of hatred into an act of love. This poetic drama explores how grief changes over time.
¨     The Boys Next Door by Tom Griffin, opening March 7 – This unusual play details the daily lives of four mentally challenged young men living in a communal residence, told through the perspective of a social worker who looks after them. Marked with compassion and understanding, The Boys Next Door reminds us that everyone wants and deserves love, meaning and purpose.   
¨     Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen, opening April 18 – The legendary vampire tale is hilariously twisted in this gender-bending romp through a hunt for the dangerous and sexy Count Dracula. The comedy serves up clever wordplay and quick-change antics, while five actors play over a dozen roles in the head-spinning, reimagining of a Gothic classic.   
¨     Desperate Measures by Peter Kellogg and David Friedman, opening June 6 – This witty and wild new musical comedy serves up a colorful cast of Wild West-inspired characters who intervene in the fate of the dangerously handsome Johnny Blood. Before the sun sets, will they be able to pull off the greatest act yet, or will Johnny be left hanging?
            For more information about Driving Miss Daisy, the 105th season lineup or ticket packages, visithttp://www.theatrejax.com.

About Theatre Jacksonville
Theatre Jacksonville was founded in 1919 as The Little Theatre of Jacksonville, with the capital for the 1938 construction of the historic facility donated by Carl S. Swisher. It was reincorporated as Theatre Jacksonville in 1969 and named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. Theatre Jacksonville has provided 105 years of uninterrupted community theater in Jacksonville.

Theatre Jacksonville’s mission is to enrich lives and broaden cultural understanding through community participation in theater arts. In addition to providing more than 100 performances each season of outstanding community theater featuring a regional cast of exceptionally talented playwrights, musicians, actors, designers and stagehands, Theatre Jacksonville reaches hundreds of students each year through summer camps, classes, field trips and in-school presentations.  

Theatre Jacksonville also uses art to advance issues of local concern. From supporting veterans to nurturing arts and recreation, it fosters community partnerships to advance the culture, health and well-being of Jacksonville. As Theatre Jacksonville anticipates its future, it also seeks to build a strong operational foundation to ensure that, just as endowed funds support the theater building, endowed funds will support theater operations. For more information or to donate, visit www.theatrejax.com.
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