One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
by Dale Wasserman
adapted from the novel by Ken Kesey
directed by SSP members Steven Walanka and Scott Rosengarden
April 27 thru May 20, 2007
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest premiered in 1963, one year after Ken Kesey's bestselling novel of the same name was published. Dale Wasserman's stage adaptation made its Broadway premiere, running through 1964. Since then, the play has had two revivals: the first an off-Broadway production in 1971, the second a Broadway production in 2001 with Gary Sinise as McMurphy. A film version released in 1975 was based on the novel, but not on the play.
The 1964 Broadway production starred Kirk Douglas as McMurphy, Gene Wilder as Billy Bibbit, and Ed Ames as Chief Bromden. Kirk Douglas retained the rights to make a movie 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 Douglas, who succeeded in getting the movie produced. Unfortunately, by this time, Kirk Douglas was deemed too old for the role of McMurphy, and the role was given to Jack Nicholson.
The 2001 Broadway revival won the Tony Award that year for Best Play Revival. It was a Steppenwolf Theater production, directed by Terry Kinney and stared Gary Sinise, Amy Morton, Tim Sampson, Eric Johner, and Ross Lehman.
