The Waterfront Playhouse continues their 2016/17 season with the American classic, The Trip To Bountiful by Horton Foote. Directed by Murphy Davis, this award-winning play will star Joy Hawkins and a cast of new and familiar actors. The Wall Street Journal called the play, “Unforgettable. I’ve never been more deeply moved by a theatrical production of any kind.”

Horton Foote is considered one of the theatre’s greatest playwrights, having produced plays on Broadway, Off Broadway and many regional theaters, as well as multiple screenplays. He received the Academy Award for his screenplay adaptations for To Kill A Mockingbird and Tender Mercies, the Pulitzer Prize for The Young Man From Atlanta, as well as multiple theater awards, including the Drama Desk Lifetime Achievement Award. His success is attributed to his beautifully simple, but powerful examination of the human condition in his plays. His central theme of “longing for home” has resonated with audiences for 60 years.

That universal theme of the pull of home is poignantly rendered in The Trip To Bountiful. Carrie Watts (Ms. Hawkins) is an elderly woman who lives with her over-protective son (John Reynolds) and bossy daughter-in-law (Caroline Taylor) in a cramped apartment in Houston. Chafing under the watchful eye of her son and his wife’s critical comments, Carrie yearns to escape her stifling surroundings and return to Bountiful, her childhood home. With pension check in hand, she runs away, determined to make it – come hell or high water. During her remarkable journey she meets Thelma a shy, young bride (Jessica Miano Kruel), as well as a wary sheriff (John Wells) and various people who assist her (Don Bearden, Wayne Dapser and Rena Dahlgren.) Her travels are filled with frequent humor and a tenderness that is touching and life affirming. The Times called it “…the rarest of theater experiences, an evening which will prove an indelible memory.”

The play premiered in 1953 and starred Lillian Hellman as Carrie, with Eva Marie Saint as Thelma. In 1983 it was made into an award-winning movie starring the legendary Geraldine Fitzgerald, who won the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance as Carrie. In 2013 there was a revival of the play starring the great Cicely Tyson as Carrie, as well as Vanessa Williams and Cuba Gooding, Jr. Ms. Tyson won the Tony Award for Best Actress and the production was nominated for Best Revival for all the major theater awards.

Michael Boyer will bring his formidable design skills to create all of the locations in Carrie’s journey. Leigh Hooten will design the 1950’s costumes.   John Jaworski will create the various looks of the play. Carmen Rodriguez is the props mistress and Alicia Merel acts as stage manager.

Opening night is January 26th with a gala reception following the production. The catered party will be sponsored by Fred and Linda Greenberg. There will be low-priced previews on January 24th and 25th, all shows beginning at 8 PM. The production is sponsored by KONK Life, with season sponsors: Digital Island Media, Wodu Media and Royal Furniture.

Tickets are $45 and are available at www.waterfrontplayhouse.org or at 305-294-5015. Opening night tickets are $55 and include the after party. Preview tickets are $25. Memberships, subscriptions and gift certificates are available on our website. Also, check out our Friday Night Date Night deal, as well as other discounts on the website.