LEWISBURG, W.V. (LOOTPRESS) – On Friday, July 9, Greenbrier Valley Theatre, the State Professional Theatre of West Virginia, welcomed a live audience for the first time in more than a year. The occasion? The 2021 season-opening performance, “Driving Miss Daisy.”
Set in the Deep South in 1948, “Driving Miss Daisy” tells the story of Daisy Werthan, a wealthy widow who must finally accept that she can no longer drive herself and must rely on a chauffeur to carry her to and fro. When Daisy’s son, Boolie, hires a Black man named Hoke, her prejudice reveals itself, but as the years pass, Daisy and Hoke begin to rely on each other more and more. Over their 25-year friendship, the two individuals learn that their similarities outweigh their differences.
The performance’s opening night- which featured a 1949 Hudson parked outside- sold out three weeks before the show. In fact, Josh Lapping, marketing and communications director for the Greenbrier Valley Theatre, says all 10 of the show’s performances have sold out, leaving some individuals on a waiting list.
Due to dwindling COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, the theatre is only seating at 50 to 60 percent of its full capacity. According to Lapping, that leaves roughly 160 available seats per show.
Regardless of operating under limited seating, Lapping says the audience Friday night felt full and alive.
“It’s super exciting and a great testimony to see the community interested in the arts now that we are back open,” he said. “Attendance fluctuates. We can always cross our fingers, but you never really know. We hoped we would get the response we did; that we would see people were gearing up and ready to come back out in public and do something.”
Although Lapping has only been with the theatre for two months, he can see the powerful relationship the theatre has built with the people of Lewisburg and Greenbrier County.
The Greenbrier Valley Theatre opened as a small, summer repertory theatre in a tent by the Greenbrier River 50 years ago. In that time, it has grown into a year-round, Actor’s Equity affiliated professional theatre with a staff of 15 to more than 80 volunteers annually.
“Having the State Professional Theatre of West Virginia here in small-town Lewisburg wouldn’t be possible without having really strong support from the community. We have that support system,” Lapping said. “We have so many people from so many different walks of life volunteering their time, donating materials for costumes or even giving clothes that they have come into and don’t need anymore. All of that has been extremely helpful.”
In addition to supporting the community through volunteering and donating, Lapping says the theatre continues to see success because people are choosing the experience of a live show over watching a movie a home.
“Obviously, there is nothing wrong with sitting at home and watching a movie, but there’s something really special about a live performance. We open our doors, and people continue to come back. It’s really great to see that there is that demand.”
“It’s heartwarming. It makes us feel good to know, as artists and lovers of the arts, that there are people coming in to see our show, chatting with family members and seeing good friends. I think that’s something a lot of us- myself personally- took for granted before it was taken away. To have that possibility again is a cool thing.”
With seven nights of “Driving Miss Daisy” and five other shows left to be performed before December, Lapping and all those at the Greenbrier Valley Theatre are eager to see how the rest of the year pans out.
“We built this season to welcome an audience back and we have a little something for everyone. We want everyone to always remember the good memories they made here.”