In the Space Theatre, long-time company member Kathleen M. Brady (The Merry Wives of Windsor, You Can't Take It With You, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) leads the cast as frisky Carrie Watts, an elderly woman who yearns to return to her rural childhood home — Bountiful, TX — before she dies.
Brady follows a line of distinguished actresses who played Carrie, including Lillian Gish in the original 1953 TV role and Geraldine Page, the winner of the 1985 Academy Award for Best Actress for the big screen version.
Performances continue to Oct. 25. Brady is joined on the Denver stage by DCTC newcomers Larry Bull (Broadway's The Coast of Utopia) as Ludie, Sara Kathryn Bakker (American Repertory Theater and the Utah Shakespearean Festival) as Jessie Mae Watts, Julie Jesneck (Broadway's Rock 'n' Roll) as Thelma, company members Jeffrey Roark (King Lear, White Christmas) as the Houston Ticket Man, Randy Moore (Plainsong, White Christmas, You Can't Take It With You) as Roy, John Hutton (The Merry Wives of Windsor; Plainsong, The Diary of Anne Frank) as the Sheriff, Mat Hostetler (The Merry Wives of Windsor) as A Traveler, Christian Haines (The Merry Wives of Windsor) as the Second Houston Ticket Man, and Rob Hille, Leigh Miller and Kathleen Wallace as Travelers.
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The design team — "recreating glimpses of mid-century Texas in the sparse style of the original 1953 'Philco Television Playhouse' production" — includes scenic designer Lisa M. Orzolek, costume designer Deborah M. Dryden, lighting designer Don Darnutzer and new sound designer Morgan A. McCauley. The dramaturg for The Trip to Bountiful is Douglas Langworthy.
The fall 2008 season by DCTC at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts also includes productions of Michael Frayn's Noises Off directed by artistic director Kent Thompson Oct. 3-Nov. 1 and David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross directed by Marco Barricelli Oct. 10-Nov. 22.
To purchase tickets by phone call (303) 893-4100 or (800) 641-1222. Buy and print tickets on-line by visiting www.denvercenter.org.
