Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding Jr. played his final performance in the Broadway revival of Horton Foote's The Trip to Bountiful Aug. 27 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre. Actor Leon Addison Brown will assume the role of Ludie Aug. 28.
The poignant drama, which officially opened April 23, was greeted with critical praise and was twice extended to Oct. 9. Read reviews of the play here. Gooding Jr. ("Jerry Maguire," "Red Tails"), who originated the role of Ludie in the revival, left the production for an upcoming film project. He currently appears in the new Lee Daniels film "The Butler."
Brown has also appeared in the Broadway production of On the Waterfront. Off-Broadway he appeared in The Train Driver. The Orphans' Home Cycle, Two Trains Running, among others.
The production was recently visited by First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia. Read Playbill.com's coverage here.
Bountiful was nominated for four Tony Awards, including Best Actress in a Play (Cicely Tyson), Best Featured Actress in a Play (Condola Rashad), Best Sound Design for a Play (John Gromada) and Best Revival of a Play.
Tyson won the Tony Award for her performance as Mother Carrie Watts, as well as the Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award.
The cast also includes Emmy Award nominee Vanessa Williams ("Ugly Betty," "Desperate Housewives"), Adepero Oduye, Tom Wopat, Devon Abner, Curtis Billings, Pat Bowie, Arthur French, Susan Heyward, Billy Eugene Jones, Bill Kux, Linda Powell and Charles Turner.
Michael Wilson directs.
The Broadway creative team includes Jeff Cowie (scenery), Van Broughton Ramsey (costumes), Rui Rita (lighting), Paul Huntley (hair design), Angelina Avallone (makeup design) and John Gromada (original music and sound design). David Alpert is the associate director.
The Trip to Bountiful is produced by Nelle Nugent, Paula Marie Black, Kenneth Teaton, Carole L Haber, Philip Geier, Sharon A. Carr, Patricia R. Klausner, Wendy Federman, Carl Moellenberg, Richard Hornos in association with Kevin Liles, Joseph Sirola, Stephen Byrd, Alia M. Jones, Howard and Janet Kagan, Charles Salameno, Willette Murphy Klausner, Fifty Church Street Productions and Hallie Foote.
Stephen Sondheim Theatre is located at 124 W. 43rd St. Tickets are available by visiting Telecharge.com. For more information visit TheTripToBountifulBroadway.com.
