Driving Miss Daisy a must see in Hot Springs

Opening night of Driving Miss Daisy was the first time I've been in The Five Star Theatre, formerly the Ray Lynn Theater. The changes are dramatic. The stage is still an intimate affair but the seating is gone and there are dinner theater tables draped in fine linens instead. The dinner theater came into being in May.

There are romantic settings for two up to groups of six or eight. There is not a bad seat in the house. The acoustics are good and not a line is dropped into oblivion.

If you like to eat  at the Porterhouse or Belle Arti, you are going to love your Five Star experience. The food is catered by the two restaurants. A buffet of delights awaits theatre patrons. Choices ranged from a mixed green salad with olives, tomatoes, mushrooms and red onions with a vinaigrette, to beef-filled tortellini, roasted potatoes, mixed vegetables, chicken zingara, turkey and pork loin. The fresh baked bread is served with a tasty olive pesto. Cheese cake was served for dessert. Water and tea are included. Beer is $3 and wine is $5. The meal was delightful and well worth the cost of admission, but wait there is more, a play.

Driving Miss Daisy has a small cast of just three characters. Villager Patsy Slezak is the feisty Miss Daisy, Charles Smith is Hoke and Stacey Castlebury is the much put upon Boolie Werthan, Miss Daisy's son.

For those unfamiliar with the play, it is the story of the relationship between Miss Daisy and her chauffeur, Hoke over a 25 year period. The play explores prejudice in many forms. Hoke comes into Miss Daisy's life when her driver's license is taken away after one accident too many at age 72.

There is no curtain across the stage so the set is visible from the moment you enter for dinner. There are four areas of concentration. Miss Daisy's car is on the stage lip to the left. Miss Daisy's parlor is center stage. Boolie's office/home is to the back of the stage and an area for other action is on a stage extension to the right. Every area is easily visible and there will be action near your table at some point in the production.

The evening I saw the show it was a little cool in the theater for some patrons. It was a rainy night and some of us were a little damp. Women in sleeveless outfits should bring a light sweater or a shawl to stay comfortable all evening.

The actors, all three, were excellent in their roles. When I closed my eyes I could hear Jessica Tandy in Slezak's dulcet tones, a warm and delicate Southern drawl. Not overdone. Slezak was a believable Miss Daisy. The ultimate compliment is Slezak made me cry the first time she declared Hoke as her best friend.

Smith was a delight as the forthright Hoke. Smith made the bitter pill of race relations in the 50s and 60s easy to swallow. There is a reason why the play Driving Miss Daisy won a Pulitzer Prize. It has always been a brave piece making us look at how we treated one another not so long ago. Smith was constant in his portrayal of Hoke, never stepping out of character, never preaching.

Castlebury was equally as good as the two main stars. His is a thankless character, comic relief, the much put upon son of Miss Daisy. Castlebury was not a scene stealer and he never failed to make us laugh. His timing was impeccable.

Go to www.thefivestartheatre.com to book your tickets online or call (501) 318-1600 for more information. Driving Miss Daisy will run through October 6. Starting October 7 will be Who's Spooking Who. For the holiday season, the offering will be  It's a Wonderful Life. I plan to see them all. I hope to see you there, too.