Baton Rouge Little Theatre kicks off its 2004 season Jan. 30 with “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” The 1962 novel by Ken Kessey, turned into an Academy Award-winning film, will run until Feb. 15.
Director Keith Dixon leads the cast in his first Baton Rouge Little Theatre production. The Tennessee native’s directing credits include “Camelot” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”
With three versions of the story, the novel, play and film in front of him, Dixon chose to follow the script written by playwright Dale Wasserman. He chose to base his creative stylings on the original novel.
“I stuck with the script, but I used the novel for most of the ideas and characters and emotional chaos,” Dixon said. “My approach to the play stems from the theme of individualism versus societal conformity.”
The story takes place inside a mental hospital that is turned upside down by a convict, Randle Patrick McMurphy, who serves his sentence in the nut house rather than jail. McMurphy causes trouble and influences the other patients to defy authority, mainly Nurse Ratched.
Daring to star in the role of McMurphy is acting veteran Malcom Adams. His acting experience includes roles in the Baton Rouge Little Theatre production of “Inherit the Wind.”
Sharon Besselman portrays a villian with her role as Nurse Ratched. She has acted in a slew of Baton Rouge Little Theatre productions such as “Wit,” “Stepping Out” and “Daddy’s Dyin’ Who’s Got the Will?”
“It’s been crazy…” Dixon said. “I have a great cast, and they’ve been fun to work with.”
Tickets for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” are $18.
Baton Rouge Little Theatre’s Web site, www.brlt.org, offers more information on dates and times.