Jump to content
Login with your Gmail HERE and start posting in seconds! ×

"Driving Miss Daisy" Is Coming Back To Chiang Mai

bhatmasterson

By bhatmasterson
in Chiang Mai

 Share

Recommended Posts

bhatmasterson Silver Member

bhatmasterson

Posted
Posted

My good friends at The Gate Theater Group asked me to help spread the word that they will be back with encore performances of "Driving Miss Daisy" on May 19 & 20 at Chiang Mai International school. I'm not sure if I can post a website address but more info can be found at gate-theater.com. They played Chiang Rai last night and were very well received.

I saw this show when it played in Chiang Mai almost 2 years ago and it was very good.

Here is a review from the Chiang Rai performance:

Do you remember the original 1951 movie of “An American in Paris” well, how about Thailand?

Chiang Rai, Thailand only has about 60,000 people. Tonight we were fortunate to experience some top-notch entertainment. The play “Driving Miss Daisy” (in English) came to our small town.

Director and star Stephan Turner gave a brilliant performance as Miss Daisy’s chauffeur Hoke. Miss Daisy and her son B...oolie also made this a night to remember!

One of the strongest moments in the play was when “NO” words were spoken. It was after the slowly changing Miss Daisy (as they were driving) made a comment about how people are so different in the world. His response was “a moment of silence” but it said so much. His glossy eyes showed his pain of being miss-understood; however, he understood! That closing scene brought a huge applause from the audience. This told me they also understood. At that point, he reached into our hearts!

Working with a limited amount of props made for an additional challenge for the performers. To keep the crowd entwined in the story was in their hands. They did this in a brilliant order. The play started out slowly, and I was wondering where it was going? Only later did I realize what the director Mr. Turner was doing. He was slowly making the audience become a part of the experience. It worked… showing conflict but still understanding of a black man and Jewish lady trying to become one.

After the play, I talked to talk to Mr. Turner. He is an extremely interesting person whose past life could be a story in itself. I could feel his heart is in the right place. He has adapted to the Thailand way of life and “feels at total peace.” One of the greatest joys in life is to entertain people, and that he does.

In 1987 he earned his BFA in acting at the Theater School of DePaul University. It is ranked as one of the top theatrical training programs in the country. His credentials are many but include working in Chicago and New York before coming to Thailand. His origination in Chiang Mia is called “The Gate Theater”

The larger than an expected crowd truly enjoyed the evening which was a real bargain for about $16 US, which included the show, two free drinks and a snack. Well, that is what they called it “a snack.” I would call it a dinner. Which included made-to-order pasta with your choice of sauce? Roast Turkey and a soup and salad bar it also had my favorite, the desert bar.

My hat goes off to Bruce Kennedy, who made this happen and brought world-class entertainment from Chiang Mia to our town of Chiang Rai. I think this is just the beginning of things to come.

Written by

Jim Kaszynski... volunteers with IHF “International Humanity Foundation” orphanage, Chiang Rai.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
bhatmasterson Silver Member

bhatmasterson

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I goggled gate-theater.com

It gave a lot of information but for the life of me I could not find where it was located or what the show times were here in Chiang Mai.

The info for the two performances here in Chiang Mai is written on the poster which is posted on the website. Saturday, the 19th, the performance is at 7:00 pm. The Sunday performance is at 4:00 pm. The play is being staged in the auditorium at Chiang Mai International School (CMIS) which is located off of Kaew Narrawat road and behind Prince Royals School. Tickets are available at the door. The phone number listed for information is 087-177-2195. Hope this helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hellodolly Star Member

hellodolly

Posted
Posted

I goggled gate-theater.com

It gave a lot of information but for the life of me I could not find where it was located or what the show times were here in Chiang Mai.

The info for the two performances here in Chiang Mai is written on the poster which is posted on the website. Saturday, the 19th, the performance is at 7:00 pm. The Sunday performance is at 4:00 pm. The play is being staged in the auditorium at Chiang Mai International School (CMIS) which is located off of Kaew Narrawat road and behind Prince Royals School. Tickets are available at the door. The phone number listed for information is 087-177-2195. Hope this helps.

Many Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Awk Silver Member

Awk

Posted
Posted

I goggled gate-theater.com

It gave a lot of information but for the life of me I could not find where it was located or what the show times were here in Chiang Mai.

The info for the two performances here in Chiang Mai is written on the poster which is posted on the website. Saturday, the 19th, the performance is at 7:00 pm. The Sunday performance is at 4:00 pm. The play is being staged in the auditorium at Chiang Mai International School (CMIS) which is located off of Kaew Narrawat road and behind Prince Royals School. Tickets are available at the door. The phone number listed for information is 087-177-2195. Hope this helps.

Not familiar with this play and wonder if you'd (or anybody else with knowledge) could care to make a rough guess at what age group this performance could be interesting for?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bhatmasterson Silver Member

bhatmasterson

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I goggled gate-theater.com

It gave a lot of information but for the life of me I could not find where it was located or what the show times were here in Chiang Mai.

The info for the two performances here in Chiang Mai is written on the poster which is posted on the website. Saturday, the 19th, the performance is at 7:00 pm. The Sunday performance is at 4:00 pm. The play is being staged in the auditorium at Chiang Mai International School (CMIS) which is located off of Kaew Narrawat road and behind Prince Royals School. Tickets are available at the door. The phone number listed for information is 087-177-2195. Hope this helps.

Not familiar with this play and wonder if you'd (or anybody else with knowledge) could care to make a rough guess at what age group this performance could be interesting for?

I would say an audience of 12 years and up. It's not overly long at 1 hour and 20 minutes with no intermission. The imaginary car is quite an interesting vehicle which forces the audience to suspend their disbelief. Young people are quite good at this.

Here is a brief synopsis of the play:

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and Best Picture Academy Award, Alfred Uhry’s play has been performed the world over with renowned actors.

Driving Miss Daisy is a moving story of friendship told with humor, warmth and beauty. This family comedy is set in Atlanta, Ga. from 1948 to 1973. Daisy Werthan, an independent, aging widow –disagreeable, and set in her ways – reluctantly surrenders the driver’s seat to Hoke Coleburn, a proud, soft-spoken African American man. At first, Daisy’s stubbornness and cultural prejudices cause much friction, but over the course of 25 years, Hoke becomes not only her chauffeur, but against all odds, her best friend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bhatmasterson Silver Member

bhatmasterson

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Sounds good, if I remember (brain like a sieve) I'll bring my dauighters along - been a while since I have seen a play in English.

Is it in English tho?

Yes. It's in English. The Gate Theater Group is the only English language theater group in Northern Thailand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
wolf5370 Ruby Member

wolf5370

Posted
Posted (edited)

I did go, with my girls (and some friends) - front row (first to arrive too) - and then on to river-side Dukes. Fun evening, and kids enjoyed it too. Kids running the shop (school students) were friendly and helpful too. Very nice. Play was good - kids were quite amazed at how they managed to age themselves (hair greying etc) so quick between scenes. Only comment we had in the (slight) negative was that they really need a curtain (or dim blue-light) rather than turning all the lights off, sometimes for half a minute or so - everytime we heard the actors walking into furniture on stage with bangs and grunts - and kids got a little worried in the pitch black. They did have fun tryinmg to spot the scene changers in the dark though.

Good family night out - and definitely going to their next production if I get to hear about it biggrin.png

//Edite: @bhatmasterson is there a mailing list???? Maybe a sticky here in CM forum if you ask the Mod/Modettes nicely :D

Edited by wolf5370
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.










×
×
  • Create New...