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The Trip to BountifulBY HORTON FOOTE
Directed by Brenda Darling Produced by Simone Goldberg Associate Producers: Barbara Salsberg, Gisela Ramos January 17 – February 1, 2020 on the Mainstage 80-year-old Carrie Watts is hilarious and crafty, frail and unexpectedly tough. Having spent her twilight years with her son and his abusive wife, Carrie plans her getaway to Bountiful, her increasingly idealized hometown. This multi-award winning play has won acclaim on Broadway, in film and as a TV movie. It’ll break your heart and bring you to laughter. Read the Toronto Guardian article featuring Jane Hunter. Jane is playing the lead, Carrie Watts in our production of The Trip to Bountiful:
“A Day in the Life” with Toronto Creative Jane Hunter > |
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Videos by Nicholas Porteous
Special Events!
The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario will be attending the Opening Night performance of The Trip to Bountiful.
Fri. Jan. 17, 2020
☆ Opening Night
Membership Date Night!
☆ Opening Night
Membership Date Night!
Members are free and their date will be entitled to a 1/2 price ticket.
Reception is sponsored by HOTHOUSE Restaurant.
Reception is sponsored by HOTHOUSE Restaurant.
Wed. Jan. 22, 2020
☆ 2-for-1 Tickets
Artists Appreciation Night!
Participating Theatres are donating tickets that will be raffled off to audience members that night.
Reception will be held in our lobby where you can mingle with your fellow thespians, guests & cast.
Everyone is welcome!
Reception is sponsored by Mengrai Thai Restaurant.
Wed. Jan. 29, 2020
☆ 2-for-1 Tickets
Neighbourhood Night Out!
An evening where we salute the urban dwellers and associated businesses that are within our neighbourhood.
Everyone is welcome!
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Accessibility
Alumnae Theatre’s Berkeley Street entrance and the mainstage theatre are wheelchair accessible. There is a wheelchair accessible restroom on the ground floor. |
The Trip to Bountiful
Reviews
"The acting is superb in The Trip to Bountiful."
"...a touching tale of one woman’s devotion to her roots"
"…the star performer is Jane Hunter as Mama Watts."
MOONEY ON THEATRE
- Full Review
"Exceptional performances make Alumnae Theatre’s latest production truly 'Bountiful' "
SESAYARTS MAGAZINE
- Full Review
Reviews
"The acting is superb in The Trip to Bountiful."
"...a touching tale of one woman’s devotion to her roots"
"…the star performer is Jane Hunter as Mama Watts."
MOONEY ON THEATRE
- Full Review
"Exceptional performances make Alumnae Theatre’s latest production truly 'Bountiful' "
SESAYARTS MAGAZINE
- Full Review
Hover over gallery image for Photo Details.
Click on gallery image to enlarge.
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Horton Foote, Playwright
Albert Horton Foote was born in Texas in 1916, and died March 4, 2009. He was an "American playwright and screenwriter who evoked American life in beautifully observed minimal stories and was perhaps best known for his adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird." "His first two plays, Wharton Dance (1940) and Texas Town (1941), were staged by the American Actors’ Company in New York City. Foote’s best-known original work, The Trip to Bountiful, was written as a television play and broadcast in 1953; later that year it was staged on Broadway, and in 1985 it was produced as a film, for which Foote also wrote the Academy Award-nominated screenplay. His 1954 play The Travelling Lady, with his screenplay, became the film Baby, the Rain Must Fall in 1965. Foote also wrote an acclaimed series of nine plays about rural Texas, The Orphans’ Home Cycle; these include Valentine’s Day (1980), 1918 (1982), and The Widow Claire (1986). His low-key but insightful play The Young Man from Atlanta (1994) won the Pulitzer Prize." www.britannica.com |
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Brenda Darling, Director
Brenda cut her professional theatrical teeth at Theatre Passe Muraille for 7 years as a jack-of-all-trades: actor to publicist to general manager. She founded MythMakers, an independent management and production company (the precursor to the government-funded STAF). She enjoyed 13 years as administrative producer of international festivals - World Stage, Harbourfront Children's Festival, Festival de théâtre des Amériques and Planet in Focus. She has shot, written, directed and edited several short documentaries and dramas as well as production managing a dozen shorts. For Alumnae Theatre, Brenda directed Stepping Out in 2016 and several plays for the New Ideas Festival. She's been NIF co -producer and president, each for 3 seasons. Brenda is married to the good man she met when she was 16, has 2 wise daughters, 1 special daughter and 5 inspiring grandchildren. |
ACTORS
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Jane Hunter, Carrie Watts
"The Mother" in a play covers the full range of human activity: playing a tuba whilst sitting on an ironing board, clad in nothing but a towel (Stoppard's After Magritte at the Village Playhouse); verbally eviscerating her three sons (McIlwraith's The Anniversary) and blithely torturing her daughter in Durang's parody of Glass Menagerie: For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls. (These last two part of East Side Players most recent seasons.) Alumnae audiences might recognize Jane as "Mary" in Sheila Toller's category-winning entry in the "InspiraTO" festival of new work last June: Life's Work. Jane would like to thank Brenda Darling and The Alumnae for entrusting her with one of the dearest Mothers of them all: Carrie Watts. |
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Kim Croscup, Jessie Mae
Kim is a graduate of both the 3 Year Conservatory Program at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and the Neighborhood Playhouse Summer Conservatory in New York City. Highlights include playing Margery in Vinegar Tom, Gertrude in Hamlet, and The Friar in Romeo & Juliet. She was last seen on the Alumnae Stage as Marty in Marty and Joel and the Edge of Chaos in the 2018 New Ideas Festival. Fresh from co-producing The Heidi Chronicles for the Alumnae Theatre, Kim is thrilled to share this Trip to Bountiful with such a dedicated cast and crew. Keep the journey going and visit kimcroscup.com to connect with Kim! |
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Jamie Johnson, Ludie Watts
Jamie is an actor and writer/producer residing in Toronto. He is a graduate of the M.F.A. Theatre program at York University. His play, That Moment When …, originally written for the Inkubation Project with musician Mark Martyre, was produced at the Springworks: Indie Theatre & Arts Festival in Stratford. Selected acting credits: Uncle Wish in Dear Uncle Wish, (Theatre Enthused), Titus in Titus Andronicus, (Seven Siblings Theatre), Captain NoBeard in Pirates Don’t Babysit, (Black Sea Productions), Pontius Pilate in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, (Unit 102), Jaoquin in Salvador (Toronto Fringe), Douglas Finch in Impressionism (Alumnae Theatre). His writing has been seen at Springworks, Summerworks, Alumnae’s New Ideas Festival, Toronto Cold Reads, Sing For Your Supper, York New Play Festival and other places. Jamie is an avid cook, ukulele strummer and lives his life like the straight man in a screwball comedy. |
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Priscilla Asiffo, Thelma
Priscilla is very excited to be a part of this production of The Trip to Bountiful as Thelma. Priscilla has graduated from Tommy Douglas Secondary School and had studied Dramatic arts with Mandy Naidu for all 4 years. She will be perusing her Bachelor of Fine arts in Acting Fall 2020. |
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Candi Zell, Sheriff
Theatre credits for Alumnae Theatre: Patient #5 in Sleeper, Maggie in The Tin Whistle, Carla in Summer’s End, Chaya Tova in Preparing for Passover, Nurse Claire in Where Do We Go From Here, and Gloria in Waiting for Attila. Selected other theatre credits: Mrs. Barrymore in The Hound of the Baskervilles, Pauline in Prisoner of Second Avenue, Hanna in The Book of Ruth, Marilla in Anne, Claire in Kiss the Moon Kiss the Sun, Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz, Mrs. Dubose in To Kill A Mockingbird, Dal in Apartment 3A, Comrade Chin/Suzuki in M. Butterfly, Lillas Pastia/Garcia in Carmen, Constanza in Enchanted April and numerous Fringe Festival productions. Candi played the Fairy Godmother’s Fairy Godmother in The Princess Is the Pauper, which won the Patron’s Pick award at this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival. She has also performed in film, TV, videos and voice overs. Candi would like to thank Brenda for giving her this wonderful opportunity and everyone involved in the production for their support. |
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Fabio Abreu, Roy
Fabio is a Toronto based actor, writer, and producer. He is a graduate of The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute (New York City) and The Second City’s Conservatory Program (Toronto). His latest short film, The Independent, in which he wrote, produced and co-starred, was shortlisted as part of Toronto’s Best Films taking home the 48hr Film Project’s Audience Choice Award. Fabio was featured in Second City’s Diversity Showcase 2018 and performs with his Improv troupe Lavender Boy on local stages and festivals across North America. You can also catch him in several comedy sketches online. Fabio is delighted to be working with such a talented cast and crew. |
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Johana Pina, Houston Ticket Taker
Johana is a Venezuelan native and recent graduate of The Florida State University with a B.A. in Theater and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Her past roles include Bassima u/s in Precious Stones, Eve in State of Glass and Gloria in Happily Ever After. Trip to Bountiful is her first performance in Toronto since parting from Florida and she would like to thank Brenda for this incredible opportunity. |
PRODUCTION TEAM
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Simone Goldberg, Producer
Simone Goldberg is honoured to be the Producer of The Trip to Bountiful. She has been involved with Alumnae for 3 years. Her roles in theatre have varied from Producing, Directing and Stage Management but her love for the art has always remained constant. She has been privileged to have worked at National Arts Centre, Centre Stage Productions and Toronto Free Theatre. At the community level she performed in the CHAT Alumni musicals and Produced and Directed 6 Musicals. Simone would like to thank the numerous volunteers, mentors who have helped bring this production to life. |
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Barbara Salsberg, Associate Producer
Barbara has been involved with theatre for the past ten years since discovering Act II at Ryerson University. She has performed in full length plays such as The Importance of Being Earnest, Mr. Pim Passes By and Les Belles Soeurs as well as shorter works in the New Ideas Festival and the Inspirato Festival. As well as theatre, Barbara is a fitness buff and loves spending time with her five grandchildren. She is thrilled to be a part of the amazing cast and crew of The Trip to Bountiful. |
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Gisela Ramos, Associate Producer
Gisela joined the Alumnae Theater Company in June 2019. She moved from Peru to Toronto three years ago to change her career from Environmental Engineering to Expressive Arts Therapy. She likes to write and her dream is to see her stories on stage one day. She currently collaborates in the production of The Trip to Bountiful at ATC. |
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Ingrid Hart, Assistant Director
Ingrid Hart studied theatre at New York City’s American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She is best known for her lead role in Global TV’s improvisational drama, Train 48 produced by Corus Entertainment where she appeared in over 100 episodes. Ingrid is Canada’s first certified teacher of the Chubbuck Technique for actors - an empowering script analysis technique used by Emmy,Tony, Academy and Joey award winners worldwide. Ingrid has directly worked with actors represented in festivals such as the National Black Film Festival in Houston TX, the Alaska International Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). For more information visit www.IngridHartCoaching.ca |
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Diana Di Mauro, Stage Manager
Diana Di Mauro has worked for many years in theatre and opera as a performer, producer, administrator and more recently as stage manager. This is her second production at the Alumnae Theatre. Her first experience was stage managing Rosemary Doyle’s production of Queen Marie. Other highlights of her work include Mozart’s, Le Nozze di Figaro, at Teatro Mancinelli in Orvieto, Italy, Frisina’s, Emmanuel God with Us, in Toronto and New York City, Sicilian Festival at The Pirandello Theatre in Toronto, concerts at the Howard Assembly Room of Opera North in Leeds, UK, and at Limonaia Villa Strozzi in Florence. Besides performing, Ms. Di Mauro is an Arts Advocate, giving lectures and talks about opera and the preservation of the art form, as relates to her Doctoral research. |
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Gillian Campbell, Assistant Stage Manager
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Victoria Stark, Assistant Stage Manager
Victoria is a graduate of the Phoenix theatre program at the University of Victoria, and has done a variety of work in acting, directing, technical theatre, applied theatre, stage management, and improv. Having lived in Toronto for two years now, she has been involved with Alumnae Theatre as a lightning operator for Queen Marie (2018) and The Pigeon (2018), which was part of last year’s Fireworks Festival. Her other assistant stage management credits include Kit and Jane: An Interactive Survival Guide to the Near-Post Apocalyptic Future (2015, University of Victoria’s Phoenix Theatre), Picnic (2016, Phoenix Theatre), Shrek the Musical (2016, Storybook Theatre), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (2017, Front Row Centre Players). Audiences can also find her at the Monarch Tavern doing constant improv work with The Belleville-Ville improv group. She is honored to working on this beautiful show, especially with such an amazing cast and crew. She hopes that audiences will enjoy this journey as much as she did! |
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Sarah Brawn, Assistant Stage Manager
Sarah is a recent Queen’s University graduate from the drama program. She is excited to be back in Toronto and be a part of her first production with the Alumnae Theatre. She has worked on a number of shows in Kingston with many Queen’s Theatre Companies, Blue Canoe Productions and The Storefront Fringe Festival. Originally getting into theatre through acting, she took on her first production role 3 years ago as an Assistant Stage Manager when the world behind the scenes opened up to her. Since then she has worked as a Costume Designer, Stage Manager, Technical Director, Director, Head of Wardrobe, Production Manager and more. She is thrilled to be returning to her original production role as an ASM for The Trip To Bountiful! |
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Rick Sutton, Projector Assistant Designer & Operator
Rick has made his long-time hobby and passion for theatre and photography a part of his retirement activities. As an active member of ACT II STUDIO at Ryerson's Chang School, he enjoys classes, acting, doing web support, scene and headshot photography and operating lights and sound. Most recently, he ran sound for Night Watch by NAGs Players. As a volunteer at Alumnae Theatre, he has run lights and/or sound for Stepping Out, August: Osage County, Omission, Queen Marie and Impressionism. The Trip to Bountiful promises to be another exciting challenge. |
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Alcira Bello, Costume Assistant
Alcira has a B.A. in Industrial Design from UFPR (Brazil), a Diploma in Fashion Marketing from the Fashion in Toscana (Florence) and Diplomas in Fashion Design from institutes Marangoni and Burgo (Milan). During her residence in Italy, she had an internship at Casa d’Arte Lo Bosco creating theatrical costumes, joined Balenciaga and Gucci, and as an Interior and Product designer she worked for MTArchitettura (Milan). She is the founder of Alcira Bello Design Studio. Alcira currently collaborates as an Assistant Set Designer and a Costume Designer for Alumnae Theatre. |
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Production History ·
The Trip to Bountiful
"The play premiered on NBC television on March 1, 1953, starring Lillian Gish. It subsequently premiered on Broadway at Henry Miller's Theatre in November 1953."
"The play was produced Off-Broadway by the Signature Theatre Company at the Peter Norton Space in 2005.
It was revived on Broadway at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, (which stands where Henry Miller's Theatre stood) from April 23, 2011 to October 9, 2013."
"The 2013 Broadway revival marked Cicely Tyson's first Broadway appearance since 1983. She was joined by Cuba Gooding Jr, Condola Rashad and Vanessa Williams."
"Cecily Tyson won a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award for her work in The Trip to Bountiful."
"The Trip to Bountiful is also a "1985 American drama film directed by Peter Masterson and starring Geraldine Page.
Geraldine Page won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as Mrs. Watts and Horton Foote was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay."
"A made-for-television remake premiered on March 8, 2014 on the Lifetime network. The film featured Cicely Tyson in the lead role as Mrs. Carrie Watts, Vanessa Williams as Jessie Mae, Blair Underwood as Ludie and Keke Palmer as Thelma. Tyson and Williams also appeared in the Broadway revival prior to this. Keke Palmer replaced Condola Rashad in the role of Thelma from the Broadway cast."
Wikipedia
The Trip to Bountiful
"The play premiered on NBC television on March 1, 1953, starring Lillian Gish. It subsequently premiered on Broadway at Henry Miller's Theatre in November 1953."
"The play was produced Off-Broadway by the Signature Theatre Company at the Peter Norton Space in 2005.
It was revived on Broadway at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, (which stands where Henry Miller's Theatre stood) from April 23, 2011 to October 9, 2013."
"The 2013 Broadway revival marked Cicely Tyson's first Broadway appearance since 1983. She was joined by Cuba Gooding Jr, Condola Rashad and Vanessa Williams."
"Cecily Tyson won a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award for her work in The Trip to Bountiful."
"The Trip to Bountiful is also a "1985 American drama film directed by Peter Masterson and starring Geraldine Page.
Geraldine Page won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as Mrs. Watts and Horton Foote was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay."
"A made-for-television remake premiered on March 8, 2014 on the Lifetime network. The film featured Cicely Tyson in the lead role as Mrs. Carrie Watts, Vanessa Williams as Jessie Mae, Blair Underwood as Ludie and Keke Palmer as Thelma. Tyson and Williams also appeared in the Broadway revival prior to this. Keke Palmer replaced Condola Rashad in the role of Thelma from the Broadway cast."
Wikipedia
