BLINN-BRENHAM THEATRE ARTS OPENS SEASON WITH ‘ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST’

  

The Blinn College-Brenham Campus Theatre Arts Program will open its 2021-22 season with Theatre Arts Instructor Jennifer Patrick starring as the legendary Nurse Ratched in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”

Dale Wasserman’s 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.

“Our entire cast is excited to bring this story to the O’Donnell Center stage,” said Theatre Arts Professor Bradley Nies, who will direct. “The conflict between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched is one of the legendary showdowns in all of theatre.”

The cast includes Josiah Fernandez as McMurphy, Casey Prowell as Chief Bromden, Garrison Rutledge as Aide Warren, Samantha Nolen as Nurse Flinn, Nathaniel Scheffel as Dale Harding, Jayden Peavy as Billy Bibbit, Dustin Randolph as Charles Cheswick, Hayden Evans as Frank Scanlon, Steve Torres as Anthony Martini, Alexandria Leverette as Candy Starr, and Bianca O’Neal as Sandy Gilfillian. Brandon Sowells serves as chronic and understudy for the roles of Charles Cheswick and Anthony Martini, while Aiden McAlister serves as chronic and understudy for the other male roles.

The crew includes Madison McDonald as stage manager, Luke Parker as assistant stage manager, Alyssa Hale as dramaturg, Amanda Winford as costume head, Prowell and Leverette as sound designers, and Alisha Satterwhite, Cameron Teinert, Ethan Jutras, Ja’Andre Johnson, Stephen Barricklow, and Vincent Harris as front of house/tech.

Technical Theatre Arts Professor Kevin Patrick will serve as technical director.

The play premiered on Broadway in 1963, and the story is best known for the 1975 Academy Award-winning movie starring Jack Nicholson. The 2001 Broadway revival won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.

“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” will be staged Oct 7 and 8 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 9 and 10 at 2 p.m at the Dr. W.W. O’Donnell Performing Arts Center at 600 Blinn Boulevard on the Brenham Campus. Preview performances for high school students will be staged at 1 p.m. on Oct. 7 and 8. Tickets are available at www.blinn.edu/boxoffice.

Following “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” the theatre season will continue Nov. 18-21 with “Wiley and the Hairy Man.” In the spring, Blinn will stage “Golden Boy” Feb. 17-20 and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” April 28-May 1.

For more information regarding Blinn’s Theatre Arts Program, visit www.blinn.edu/theatre.

(Story courtesy Richard Bray, Blinn Information)

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