Raven Theatre to Screen Lifetime's THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL with Cicely Tyson

Raven Theatre Company, currently performing the Chicago Premiere of Horton Foote's Dividing the Estate, is presenting a free screening of the new film version of The Trip to Bountiful, arguably Foote's best-known play. The film, which was produced by Lifetime Films and aired on Lifetime Television in 2014, reunited Cicely Tyson and Vanessa Williams in the lead roles they performed for the play's 2013 Broadway revival. That production and this film are significant in that African-Americans were cast in roles traditionally played by white actors throughout the piece's history as first a 1953 teleplay and stage play and the 1985 feature film as well as countless stage productions over the past 60 years.

The casting of Cicely Tyson as Carrie Watts gave audiences a chance to see one of America's greatest actresses play a great role. For her Broadway performance in the role, she was honored with a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. Last year, she won and Emmy for her re-creation of the role in the new film version.

Perhaps more importantly, the race-neutral casting of these productions underscores the universality of Foote's themes. As Foote's daughter actress Hallie Foote told audiences in her January 14 appearance at Raven Theatre, The Trip to Bountiful is not a Caucasian play, but simply "a human play," which has resonated for audiences as far away as Japan. The play's exploration of the feelings of uprootedness resulting from the displacement of rural Americans to cities is as much a part of African-Americans' history as it is for white Americans.

This screening of the film, shot on location in Georgia, will be introduced by Professor Anna Everett of the University of California at Santa Barbara, who will discuss the film in the context of black history month, black migrations, and the politics of race-neutral casting in media culture.

Professor Everett will speak live via Skype. Admission is free, but advance reservations are recommended and may be made by calling Raven Theatre at 773-338-2177.

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