Adapted from Ken Kesey’s novel, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a classic clash of good and evil… using a mental institution as the background. It is the story of Randle P. McMurphy, a charming rogue who contrives to serve a short sentence in an airy ‘nuthouse’ rather than in a prison.His time in the ‘cuckoo’s nest,’ however, is far from calm. He collides with the head nurse, a fierce martinet; he stages a revolt so the ‘bull-goose-loonies’ can watch the World Series on TV; and he arranges a rollicking midnight bash with wine, women, and elevator music. The party goes awry and McMurphy must decide between his buddies or escape.It is a truly American play that celebrates freedom and friendship.
This page is part of an ongoing project to document the history of the theatre productions performed at Wabash College. If you have information not included on this page, please contact the Theater Department or Professor Dwight Watson (watsond@wabash.edu).