This week, The Source Magazine was on the red carpet for the opening night of the Broadway show “The Trip to Bountiful,” which stars the iconic Cicely Tyson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Vanessa Williams and Condola Rashad and was produced by Kevin Liles. Directed by Michael Wilson, this is the first Broadway revival of Horton Foote’s drama in 60 years.
Check out our interviews with Cicely Tyson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Kevin Liles and Condola Rashad:
http://youtu.be/IJNhE_lQMDA
Q: Why did you decide to produce this show?
Kevin Liles: I think when you look at our culture we always find interesting ways to introduce and take people on a let’s say a world trip, and what better place to go than Broadway. Big up to Berry Gordy who brought “Motown” here so I decided to find something that was dear to me and “The Trip to Bountiful” script, just finds a woman who all her life’s just searching to be home reminded me of my grandmother who’s 92. And I want everybody to have that moment of joy, their own trip to bountiful, whatever it is to be able to get home. So it’s kind of personal to me.
Q: And can you tell me about bringing Cicely back after 30 years and what it was like collaborating with her?
Kevin Liles: Cicely’s a national treasure. So where you have the opportunity to have her, Cuba, Vanessa, Condola all together, what better way. I call it hedging your bet. I call it giving a perfect opportunity to those who do so much for arts and crafts.
Q: Why is this character so special to you?
Cicely Tyson: Because she’s a representation of every elder that put a thumb print on my being. I never knew my maternal or paternal grandparents, but when we young and my mother worked, we had a woman who took care of us we called Nana. This is for Nana and all of the other elders that have been in my life. My tribute is to them.
Q: The play is about going home. What does home mean to you?
Cicely Tyson: Home is a place that gives me comfort, peace, and joy, which is what my character is looking for. She had it in her youth and she wanted it back. She didn’t have it when she was with her daughter-in-law in the move to the city.
Q: Why was this project right for you to make your broadway debut?
Cuba Gooding, Jr.: As a young actor in high school, I started on stage, doing Shakespeare film festivals and whatnot, and was snatched off the stage and started doing television and eventually film. This was always to be the end game. This is where I wanted to get back to. When I heard Ms. Cicely Tyson was returning back to Broadway and there were offering something to me to be in it with her, I was like, “This is a dream come true.” Then I read the play and read Horton Foote’s words and the way that he deals with relationships and characters, I knew it was the right thing to do.
Q: How does acting on broadway compare to acting in films?
Cuba Gooding, Jr.: It’s the same, but it’s more intense. There’s more research and there’s more time that’s taken. You get to live the character whereas in film, everyday is something different.
Q: What was it like working with Cicely?
Condola Rashad: It’s amazing. Every single day I learn something new. I mean it really is the best gift that I could have asked for as an actor to work with such an amazing actress every single day. And she’s fun and she’s funny and we’re both Sagittarians and we clicked.
Q: And how about working with Cuba and Vanessa?
Condola Rashad: It’s amazing. Cuba’s like my uncle. Ms. Williams is like my fairy godmother. Everybody is just amazing. We have such a great relationship off stage.
Q: How about collaborating with the director?
Condola Rashad: It’s great. He is the reason I’m here, really. He is the one who got me on to this play, so I owe this all to him.
