Classic play changes with times
Cast, crew members deal with preconceived notions from audience
ByLizaHoltmeier
Staff Reporter
This weekend, the Lincoln Com
munity Playhouse will present the
opening of a classic story about man’s
struggle against conformity and the
need to liberate individuality.
The play, “One Flew Over The
Cuckoo’s Nest” by David Wasserman,
opens Friday at 7:30 p.m. The play is
based on the novel by Ken Kesey.
Though the first production of the
play opened in New York to poor re
views, it has since been successful as
an off-Broadway production and a
movie. The film version, starring Jack
Nicholson, won five Academy Awards
in 1976.
The play deals with the conflicts
between patients in a mental hospital
and the hospital’s staff. The plot re
i volves around the characters of Nurse
Ratched, played by MarthaEUen Flo
rence, and Randle P. McMurphy,
played by Joel Story.
Because the play is well-known
and deals with universal themes, the
cast and crew have been confronted
with the knowledge that the audience
will have preconceived notions about
the play.
“In the description of Nurse
Ratched in the script, it said fair
skinned, blond hair and blue eyes,”
Florence said. “As an African-Ameri
can, I had to translate that in my own
mind and get comfortable with what I
look like, and what the audience is
going to expect Nurse Ratched to look
like.”
Story added the play can seem
dated because many of the things that
McMurphy stands for are sexist and
chauvinistic. To update the play, he
said that director Robin McKercher
tried to emphasize the question, “How
does society decide who is crazy?”
“The staff have as many idiosyn
crasies as the patients,” Story said.
“It’s just that society has deemed the
patients undesirable and not the staff.”
The play also remains fresh be
cause, though the idea of man versus
conformity is fairly common, the char
acters are not. Various cast members
said they were drawn to the play be
cause of the challenging parts.
“Chief Bromden is one of the most
pinnacle Indian characters in modem
plays,” said Matthew L. Jones, who
plays Bromden. “It’s a challenging
role because there are such peaks and
valleys to this character who, at the
beginning of the play, is perceived to
be a deaf, dumb mute.”
Of her character, Florence said,
“Automatically when you think of
Nurse Ratched, you think she’s just
mean and evil and vicious, but there’s
another side to her. She feeis she’s
doing something good for herself and
the patients.”
Overall, the rehearsals for the show
have been an enjoyable experience for
both seasoned Playhouse performers
and beginners.
“Many of the people in the show
do Lincoln Community Playhouse all
the time,” Florence said. “They’re
used to the director, the stage and how
the playhouse works, and their level
of professionalism is amazing.”
The show runs Friday through
Sunday, and continues Feb. 13-16 and
20-23. Curtain times are ,7:30 pjn. on
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Sundays and Feb. 23 will have 2 p.m.
show times, and the curtain will rise
at 7 p.m. on Feb 16.
Ticket prices are $ 18 for adults and
$7 for students on Thursdays and Sun
days, and $20 for adults and $8 for
students on Fridays and Saturdays.
Those interested in tickets or more
information can call the box office at
489-7529.
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