One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (play)
| One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest | |
|---|---|
Cort Theatre New York City | |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey |
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1963) is a
Background
The play is based off the 1962 novel of the same by Ken Kesey. It was adapted by Dale Wasserman.
Summary
The plot revolves around mental hospital patient Randle McMurphy who leads a revolt against cold Nurse Ratched.
Cast and characters
| Character | Broadway debut | Feature film | Broadway revival | West End revival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 1975 | 2001 | 2003 | |
| Randle McMurphy | Kirk Douglas | Jack Nicholson | Gary Sinise | Christian Slater |
| Nurse Ratched | Joan Tetzel | Louise Fletcher | Amy Morton | Frances Barber |
| "Chief" Bromden | Ed Ames | Will Sampson | Tim Sampson | Brendan Dempsey |
| Dale Harding | William Daniels | William Redfield | Ross Lehman | Owen O'Neill |
| Billy Bibbit | Gene Wilder | Brad Dourif | Eric Johner | Mackenzie Crook |
| Charlie Cheswick | Gerald S. O'Loughlin | Sydney Lassick | Rick Snyder | Phil Nichol |
| Max Taber | N/A | Christopher Lloyd | N/A | N/A |
| Martini | Al Nesor | Danny DeVito | Danton Stone | Ian Coppinger |
| Dr. John Spivey | Rex Robbins | Dean Brooks | K. Todd Freeman | Tim Ahern |
Origin
Dale Wasserman's stage adaptation, with music by Teiji Ito, made its Broadway preview on November 12, 1963, its premiere on November 13, and ran until January 25, 1964, for a total of one preview and 82 performances.[1] The 1963–64 Broadway production starred Douglas as Randle Patrick McMurphy, Gene Wilder as Billy Bibbit, William Daniels as Harding, Ed Ames as "Chief" Bromden, Al Nesor as Martini, and Joan Tetzel as Nurse Ratched. Douglas retained the rights to make a film version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest for a decade, but was unable to find a studio willing to make it with him. Eventually, he gave the rights to his son Michael, who succeeded in getting the film produced. At that time, Kirk Douglas was deemed too old for the role of McMurphy, and the role was given to Jack Nicholson.
Productions
Since then, the play has had two revivals: first
In 1982
In 2004,
A production of the play was staged by London's Tower Theatre Company from 23 to 27 October 2012 at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Highgate, London.[9] In 2018, After Hours Theatre Company in Los Angeles created an immersive version of the work. The Oregon State Hospital was recreated in a 7,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Burbank. Each audience member was provided a costume and a patient wristband. During the immersive pre-show, audience members were tasked with finding clues as to why they have been admitted to the hospital that eventually led them to join the patient revolution. This production was nominated for six Ovation Awards, including a win for Best Lighting Design, Intimate Theatre.[10] In 2022, an Australian adaptation of Dale Wasserman's play, directed by Chris McRae was created by Luke Miller, McRae and Samuel Yombich Pilot-Kickett, and performed by Darlington Theatre Players in Perth, Western Australia. The adaptation recontextualised the play to 1960s Australia, with the reimagining of the "Chief" Bromden character as a local Aboriginal man, as well as some adjustment of language to fit the Australian idiom. The production included musical composition by Kieran Ridgway, with the inclusion of didgeridoo and didgeribone as part of the underscoring to reflect the new setting.[11]
Awards and nominations
2001 Broadway revival
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Tony Award
|
Best Revival of a Play | Won | |
| Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play | Gary Sinise | Nominated | ||
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Nominated | ||
Outer Critics Circle Award
|
Outstanding Revival of a Play | Won | ||
| Drama League Award | Distinguished Production of a Revival | Won | ||
See also
References
- ^ a b IBDB entry
- ^ "60. Danny DeVito, Everybody: The Always Sunny Podcast". YouTube.com. 19 December 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ Kirk Douglas retained the movie rights due to an innovative loophole of basing the rights on the play rather than the novel, despite Kesey's objections. See Kirk Douglas entry and https://deadline.com/2020/02/kirk-douglas-one-flew-over-the-cuckoos-nest-movie-michael-douglas-spat-1202852836/
- ^ "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
- ^ "Production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". Theatricalia. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
- ^ Pogrebin, Robin (5 April 2001). "Unwound and Ready for Some Cuckoo Time". The New York Times. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
- ^ "Christian Slater Opens in London Cuckoo's Nest Sept. 15". Playbill. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
- ^ "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest". BBC. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
- ^ "Tower Theatre Company : One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". Retrieved April 17, 2015.
- ^ "LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards: 2018". abouttheartists. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
- ^ "WA Theatre Reviews & Database : One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest:An Australian Adaptation". Retrieved July 17, 2022.
External links
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest at the Internet Broadway Database
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest at ThatTheatreSite Provides character descriptions and updated audition listings.
- Original Production's ITDb
- 1971 revival's ITDb
- 2001 revival's ITDb
