Lifetime's TV Remake of The Trip to Bountiful Puts on the Brakes, Pushes Back Air Date

Good things come to those who wait—we guess! The air date of the small screen adaptation of The Trip to Bountiful, starring Tony winner Cicely Tyson and Vanessa Williams reprising their roles from the recent Broadway revival alongside new cast members Blair Underwood and Keke Palmer, has been pushed back. Helmed by Michael Wilson, who also directed the stage show, the Lifetime version was originally scheduled to air February 22 and has now been moved to March 8.

The Trip to Bountiful tells the story of Carrie Watts (Tyson), an elderly woman who longs to return to her hometown of Bountiful, Texas, one final time. She is anxious to begin her journey, but her overprotective son Ludie (Underwood) and his overbearing wife Jessie Mae (Williams) refuse to let her take the trip—so Carrie decides to take matters into her own hands.

The Trip to Bountiful is no stranger to the small screen—Horton Foote’s drama began as an NBC teleplay in 1953. The playwright then adapted his drama for the stage—the production opened November 3, 1953 at Henry Miller’s Theatre. A subsequent 1985 film adaptation starred Geraldine Page, John Heard, Rebecca De Mornay and Carlin Glynn.

The first Broadway revival of The Trip to Bountiful played March 30 through October 9 in the same theater where it premiered (now renamed the Stephen Sondheim Theatre). In addition to Tyson as Carrie Watts and Williams as Jessie Mae Watts, The Trip to Bountiful featured Cuba Gooding Jr. as Ludie Watts, Condola Rashad as Thelma and Tom Wopat as Sheriff.