Auditions at Cast generally consist of cold readings from the script, with the potential for movement and vocal exercises at each director's discretion. Please arrive 10 minutes early to fill out your audition form before we begin promptly at 7. Please come out and audition. We do not pre-cast so all roles you see below are open!
THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL
By Horton Foote
Directed by Sandra Barkerding
Auditions will take place February 9 & 10 from 7-9 pm
Performances will take place at 1117 1st St from April 10 - 26, 2026
The Trip to Bountiful is a heartbreaking but ultimately life-affirming and inspiring tale that examines the fragility of memory and celebrates the enduring power of hope and faith.
The play involves a woman who has to live with a daughter-in-law who hates her and a son who does not dare take her side. While the unhappy family lives in a Houston apartment, Carrie Watts dreams of returning to Bountiful, where she was raised. Nothing will stop Mrs. Watts from returning to her beloved hometown of Bountiful, Texas. Not her overprotective son, her bossy daughter-in-law, her lost pension check, or even the town sheriff. What she longs for most is to go home one last time. But is home a place, a feeling, or only a memory?
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
3 Women, 2 Men, with 3 roles of any gender.
Carrie Watts: Carrie is an elderly widow, the protagonist of the play, who is
determined to return to her childhood home in Bountiful, Texas, before she dies. She is feisty, determined, and intelligent, with a deep attachment to her past and the simple, rural life she once knew. Trapped in a cramped Houston apartment with her son and difficult daughter-in-law, she endures a stifling existence and chafes under their watchful eyes. Her monthly pension check is a vital part of the family's meager income, which her daughter-in-law, Jessie Mae, attempts to control. Carrie's journey is an attempt to regain a sense of strength, dignity, and peace of mind that she believes can only be found in the physical location of her home.
Ludie Watts: Carrie's middle-aged son, caught in a difficult position
between his mother and his wife. Life has not been easy for Ludie; two years of illness wiped out his savings, and he is trying to rebuild his life and provide for his family in Houston. He is fundamentally a kind and concerned man who loves his mother, but he is also a weak man, often unable to stand up to his assertive wife or manage their repeated clashes. Ludie is practical and believes that it's no use to dwell on the past, a contrast to his mother's nostalgia. Lead Role.
Jessie Mae Watts: Jessie Mae is Ludie's wife, a character presented as selfish, superficial, and bossy. She resents Carrie's presence in their small apartment and views her as a burden, tolerating her primarily for her pension check. She has narrow interests, focused on nice clothes, coffee shops and picture shows, and does no housework. Jessie Mae's lack of compassion and constant demands for control highlight the suffocating environment from which Carrie is desperate to escape. Lead Role.
Thelma: Thelma is a kind, friendly, and naive young woman whom Carrie meets at the bus station. Traveling to her parents' home while her new husband is overseas in the military, she forms an immediate, compassionate bond with Carrie. Thelma serves as a supportive listener for Carrie and a foil to Jessie Mae, illustrating the kindness and compassion that Carrie encounters outside of her immediate family. Supporting role.
Sheriff (in Harrison): Initially a figure of authority tasked with stopping her, the Sheriff eventually chooses to help her reach her destination. His transformation from a rule-follower to a compassionate ally represents the unconditional support that allows Mrs. Watts to complete her journey of the heart and find closure at her old farmstead.
The following roles could be played by a woman or man:
Houston Ticket Agent: Businesslike rule follower who informs Mrs. Watts that no trains go to Bountiful and that the bus can only take her to nearby towns like Harrison or Cotton. The agent is largely impersonal. The character helps Carrie by finding her lost purse, a pivotal moment in her journey.
Roy (Ticket Agent): The ticket agent Carrie encounters later at the Harrison bus station. Roy is a different character entirely, typically portrayed as an older, sympathetic, and kind gentleman. He treats Mrs. Watts with respect and listens to her story. He understands her desperate, nostalgic need to revisit her hometown and is genuinely saddened when it seems she might not make it the last few miles.
Second Houston Ticket Agent: Often a minor supporting or ensemble part, may be doubled with other small roles like the first ticket agent, Roy, or the Sheriff, depending on the director's casting choices.
Click below to download our audition form and fill it out in advance!