These past few weeks have been insanely busy for me, between my day job over in the valley and everything else I have going on … this past month I didn’t know whether I was coming or going! A couple of weeks ago I attended the official opening night (in Los Angeles held at DTLA’s Ahmanson Theatre–seated behind Judith Light!) of the critically-acclaimed revival of Pulitzer Prize winner Horton Foote‘s The Trip To Bountiful which was first performed on NBC back in 1953. One year later it was on Broadway–cut to 1985 it was adapted for the big screen with Geraldine Page.
Fast forward eighteen years–The Trip To Bountiful was revived on Broadway in 2013 with legendary star of stage and screen, Cicely Tyson playing lead character Carrie Watts, which led to Ms. Tyson nabbing the Tony Award for her amazing performance (also captured on a Lifetime TV adaptation). It’s simple tale of an elderly woman living with her son (Blair Underwood) and his sassy wife / frenemy of Carrie (played to perfection by Vanessa Williams) who only wants to return to the small town where she grew up, Bountiful, for one final time. It turns out Miss Watts is a very determined woman–the play unfolds as she is set on making the trip–with or without the support of her son. I literally laughed and cried as I witnessed Carrie’s inspired journey on her way back home … Tyson (at age 80) simply blew me away–her performance was completely mesmerizing plus both Underwood and Williams (who nailed all the necessary comedy relief) managed to keep pace with Cicely’s spritely ways.
The goods news for those of you living in the Southern California area is that The Trip To Bountiful is still playing at the Ahmanson (which I love) … the bad news is that there are only SIX performances left–starting this coming Wednesday. I seriously meant to give everyone a heads up sooner–yet time escaped me, so please don’t miss out on your chance to see a true legend up on stage–doing some of the best work of her career-now in its 7th decade–her energy and spirit is truly infectious!
Tickets are still available, you can pick your own seats over on Center Theatre Group‘s website.
The legendary Cicely Tyson — after a 30-year absence from the stage — reprises her 2013 Tony Award® winning Broadway performance, taking the stage by storm in the critically acclaimed revival of Pulitzer Prize winner Horton Foote’s American masterpiece. Vanessa Williams and Blair Underwood will join Tyson in this exclusive engagement. Tyson and Williams appeared together in the 2013 Broadway production of The Trip to Bountiful, while Tyson, Williams and Underwood all starred in the Lifetime TV version that aired in March.