The Last Night of Ballyhoo
The Tony Award Winning The Last Night of Ballyhoo by Alfred Uhry explores the lives of Jewish southerners, a culture that he introduced to the American theater-going public with his Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Driving Miss Daisy. It is Atlanta, Georgia in December 1939. Hitler is about to invade Poland and Gone with the Wind is ready to premiere. Meanwhile, a Jewish family so highly assimilated they have a Christmas tree in the front parlor are looking forward to Ballyhoo, a lavish cotillion sponsored by their restricted country club. Deftly exploring Jewish identity, including prejudice inflicted on Jews by other Jews, Uhry intersperses his serious message with sparkling banter, comedic non sequiturs and hilarious characters and characterization. The playwright, Alfred Uhry, remains the only individual to receive an Academy Award, Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize for dramatic writing. It was also recently announced that his most famous work, Driving Miss Daisy will open on Broadway this October with James Earl Jones and Vanessa Redgrave.