A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 4w, 13m
By Dale Wasserman
Based on the novel by Ken Kesey
This stage adaptation of Ken Kesey's celebrated novel explores the brutality of life in a mental institution with humor, candor and unforgettable characters.
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Cast Size
4w, 13m -
Subgenre
Adaptation (Literature) -
Suggested Use
- Cutting Approved for Competition
- UIL Approved
- Competition or Audition Material
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Target Audience
Adult, Teen (Age 14-18)
Accolades
- Winner! 2001 Tony® Award, Outstanding Revival of a Play
Winner! Outer Critics Circle Award, Outstanding Revival of a Play
Details
Summary
This stage adaptation of Ken Kesey's celebrated novel explores the brutality of life in a mental institution with humor, candor and unforgettable characters.
After being convicted of a petty crime, a charming, rebellious rogue named McMurphy contrives to serve his short sentence in an airy mental institution rather than in a prison. This, he soon learns, was a mistake. He immediately clashes with the authoritarian head nurse, a fierce martinet named Nurse Ratched. Despite Ratched's strict reign, MacMurphy quickly takes over the yard, leading others out of introversion, staging a revolt so that they can see the World Series on television, and arranging a rollicking midnight party with liquor and women. But MacMurphy's brash insubordination has its consequences; Ratched ultimately triumphs by subjecting MacMurphy to a frontal lobotomy.
History
Cast Attributes
Keywords
Performing Groups
- Time Period Contemporary, 1960s
- Setting The day room in a ward of a State Mental Hospital in the Pacific Northwest.
- Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
- Cautions
- Strong Language
- Mild Adult Themes
Media
“One of the finest, most meaningful and most moving plays of recent times.” – WPIX-TV
“Cuckoo is captivating.” – New York Post
“Scarifying and powerful.” – The New York Times
“Funny, touching, and exciting.” – New York Daily News
“Brilliant. The stuff of great theatre.” – WQR Radio
“Transforms the audience into one wild cheering section.” – WNYC Radio
ON BREAKING CHARACTER
Javaad Alipoor on directing One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Cathy Thomas
February 13, 2019
Videos
Scenes from the 2001 Broadway revival of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Music
- Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)
- Vocal DemandsN/A (Not a musical)
- Chorus Size No Chorus
Licensing & Materials
- Minimum Fee: £85 per performance plus VAT when applicable.
Please submit a license request to determine availability.
Authors
Ken Kesey
Dale Wasserman
Dale Wasserman (1914-2008) wrote for theater, television and film for more than 50 years and is best known for the musical Man of La Mancha, a multiple Tony Award winner.
He also wrote the stage play One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, based on Ken Kesey’s novel, which has won s ...
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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Novel)
Ken Kesey
