Monday, September 2, 2013

The "Trip" is more "Bountiful" than ever!


by Erich McMillan-McCall
Project1VOICE
erich@project1voice.org

       

The Trip to Bountiful  starring Tony winner Cicely Tyson, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Vanessa Williams continues its sentimental bittersweet journey on Broadway through October 9.   Directed by Michael Wilson, the Broadway revival of Horton Foote’s classic drama was originally scheduled to play through September 1 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre. The production opened on April 23.

In addition to Tyson, Gooding and Williams, The Trip to Bountiful stars Tom Wopat and the newest addition of Adepero Oduye replacing Tony nominee Condola Rashad. The play also features Devon Abner, Curtis Billings, Pat Bowie, Leon Addison Brown, Arthur French, Susan Heyward, Bill Kux, Linda Powell and Charles Turner.

The Trip to Bountiful tells the story of Carrie Watts (Tyson), an elderly woman who longs to see her hometown of Bountiful, Texas, one final time. Meanwhile, her overprotective son (Gooding Jr.) and domineering daughter-in-law (Williams) try to make her stay home.

This is my second time seeing the play. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I still found myself  rooting for Carrie to pack that suitcase and escape to Bountiful. When she pleads to her son Ludie (Gooding) "I want to go home." your heart just aches." Miss Tyson is nothing less than radiant as Carrie. The dirty looks she throws Williams' Jessie Mae behind her back is perfect comic relief than deservedly hateful.

The cast is as fresh as it was opening night.  Williams is superb as the bored gorgon of a  daughter in law  obsessed with coca cola, getting her hair done and going to the picture show.  While Gooding is amusing as Carrie's sweet, underachieving and overprotective son caught in the middle of two determined women with endless needs and demands.  They both do such an amazing job that it not easy to loathe her or hate him for not standing up for himself or Carrie.

The supporting cast is also just as powerfully wonderful with Tom Wopat as the Sheriff, Arthur French as the station worker and Adepero Oduye as Carrie's friend on the bus. 

As "Trips" go, this is most certainly a "Trip" I could make over and over again, as long as Cicely Tyson is somewhere in the mix.

 "The Trip to Bountiful"
 Sondheim Theatre, 124 W. 43rd St.
$37-$142; 212-239-6200 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting  FREE 212-239-6200 end_of_the_skype_highlighting;
 thetriptobountifulbroadway.com