Making a rendition of Dale Wasserman's classic 1970 adaptation of Ken Kesey's novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the Andrew Living Arts marks the second appearance of this unforgettable story in South Florida this season. Depicting a group of patients in a "state mental hospital somewhere in the Northwest" who do whatever possible to remain human in the midst of a dehumanizing system that has ostensibly failed them, the performance will be unlike any ever seen of this play, promises theater founder and play director Robert D. Nation. Rather than merely focusing on the deficiencies of the state-run institution, a rampant feature of many at the time, the actors will draw upon feelings such as passion, fear, lust for power, and corruption found in each individual who recognizes their mental and emotional imprisonment. Nation also states that the play will embody the experiences mentioned in recent debates about veterans suffering from PTSD as well as the current state of capital punishment.
With a bodacious cast, this won't be a Cuckoo's Nest you will want to miss. Showtimes span Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights from May 23 to June 8 at the Andrew Living Arts, located at 23 NW Third St. in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; 5 p.m. Sundays. Tickets, which can be purchased by visiting andrewslivingarts.org or by calling Brown Paper Tickets at 800-838-3006, cost $14.95 for students, $24.95 for seniors, and $29.95 for adults. Free on-street parking at 6 p.m. A special preview is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, when all seats cost $15.
Thu., May 22, 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays-Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 5 p.m. Starts: May 22. Continues through June 8, 2014