An elderly woman wearing a navy blue coat and matching hat, sits on a bench smiling with her suitcase on her lap.

Photo of Nancy Robinette by Scott Suchman.

The Trip to Bountiful

A classic American play about a remarkable journey home.

September 23, 2022 — October 16, 2022

1h 30mins

Recommended for ages 13 and older

Accessible

Carrie Watts dreams of escape from the bustling city and of a return to simpler times in her beloved Bountiful, Texas. She sets out on a risky journey to her beloved hometown, with her family in hot pursuit. Along the way, she encounters kindness and compassion … and makes a remarkable discovery about the true meaning of home. One of the foremost interpreters of Horton Foote’s work, Michael Wilson directs Nancy Robinette as Carrie Watts with Tom Story as her son, Ludie, and Kimberly Gilbert as her daughter-in-law, Jessie Mae. This classic American drama is a touching portrait of family, what we hold onto and what we leave behind.

Artistic Team

Playwright Horton Foote

Director Michael Wilson

Scenic Design Tim Mackabee

Costume Design Ivania Stack

Lighting Design Rui Rita

Original Music and Sound Design John Gromada

Hair and Make-Up Design Danna Rosedahl

Dialects and Voice Director Lynn Watson

Production Stage Manager Brandon Prendergast

Assistant Stage Manager Julia Singer

Cast

Nancy Robinette

Mrs. Carrie Watts

Joe Mallon

Ludie Watts

Kimberly Gilbert

Jessie Mae Watts

Emily Kester

Thelma

Marty Lodge

Houston Ticket Agent/Sheriff

Michael Glenn

Second Houston Ticket Agent/Voice/Understudy

Christopher Bloch

Roy/Voice

Kimberly Schraf

Understudy

Veronica del Cerro

Understudy

From the Gallery

A woman in a red coat stands in front of her wardrobe holding a suitcase, smiling.

Nancy Robinette as Carrie Watts in the Ford’s Theatre production of The Trip to Bountiful, directed by Michael Wilson. Photo by Scott Suchman.

A woman and her adult son sit together in wooden chairs wearing bath robes, smiling at one another in a dark room.

Joe Mallon as Ludie Watts and Nancy Robinette as Carrie Watts in the Ford’s Theatre production of The Trip to Bountiful, directed by Michael Wilson. Photo by Scott Suchman.

A husband and wife dance together in their living room wearing bath robes. He holds her hand gently as they pull way from one another, both smiling.

Joe Mallon as Ludie Watts and Kimberly Gilbert as Jessie Mae Watts in the Ford’s Theatre production of The Trip to Bountiful, directed by Michael Wilson. Photo by Scott Suchman.

A family engages in a heated discussion in their living room. A woman holds a hand up to her mother-in-law, issuing her to stop talking.

Kimberly Gilbert as Jessie Mae Watts, Nancy Robinette as Carrie Watts and Joe Mallon as Ludie Watts in the Ford’s Theatre production of The Trip to Bountiful, directed by Michael Wilson. Photo by Scott Suchman.

A family stands in tall, dry grass, looking out in front of them.

Kimberly Gilbert as Jessie Mae Watts, Joe Mallon as Ludie Watts and Nancy Robinette as Carrie Watts in the Ford’s Theatre production of The Trip to Bountiful, directed by Michael Wilson. Photo by Scott Suchman.

Two women sit on a bus station bench together, looking at one another fondly. One has a suitcase and purse with her. Behind them, a large sign that says “HOUSTON, TEXAS Industrial Frontier,” and a man sitting at a ticket booth.

Nancy Robinette as Carrie Watts and Emily Kester as Thelma in the Ford’s Theatre production of The Trip to Bountiful, directed by Michael Wilson. Photo by Scott Suchman.

A woman stands in front of a bench speaking to a sheriff. Behind her, a man in a sweater looks at them.

Marty Lodge as Sheriff, Nancy Robinette as Carrie Watts and Christopher Bloch as Roy in the Ford’s Theatre production of The Trip to Bountiful, directed by Michael Wilson. Photo by Scott Suchman.