The Catskill Chronicle

Review and photos by Carol Montana

SOUTH FALLSBURG, NY – Institutional-green walls, mostly bare except for an old certificate, a couple of card tables, a glass-enclosed nurses’ station, a prominent “exit” sign, and a barred floor-to-ceiling window make up the set for the Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop’s production of the modern classic One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Dale Wasserman.

As the play opens, Nurse Ratched (DeLois House) greets each patient, giving them some kind words and their daily medication.

Into this quasi-peaceful setting comes newly committed Randle P. McMurphy (Wayne Kreuscher), who immediately clashes with Nurse Ratched. He is warned by the other inmates that this is not a good idea.

Nevertheless, McMurphy quickly takes over the ward, and acting like the charming con artist he is, turns the otherwise dull and medicated residents into reluctant co-conspirators. They really can’t help themselves as McMurphy, for all his hard-living, hard-loving brashness is incredibly charismatic. And Kreuscher plays McMurphy for all he’s worth.

Indeed, the casting is perfect all around.

House as Nurse Ratched is brilliant – calmly manipulative, sickeningly sweet and compassionate, and vindictive to a fault. She is not someone you want to get on your bad side. Unfortunately for him, McMurphy does just that. They are each other’s worst nightmare.

Previously seen together in last year’s Misery, Kreuscher and House play off each other supremely well, attacking and parrying with ease in both words and actions.

The supporting cast is equally at home onstage. Anthony Chanov plays Chief Bromden, the supposed deaf-mute who McMurphy coaches out of his shell; Aaron Butler is Billy Bibbit, a shy still-tied-to-the-apron-strings mama’s boy who Ratched belittles continually; Paul Popieniek as Dale Harding, the emasculated husband; Liam Rogers as Scanlon, constantly clutching what he thinks is a bomb he is constructing; Ed Berens as Cheswick, nervously twitching and pointing at imaginary things throughout the play; Mike Washburn as Martini, quiet but delusional; Matt Bonnell and Matt Boswell as the cowed and compliant Aides Warren and Williams respectively; Rosalie Siciliano as an equally quiet do-as-she’s-told Nurse Flynn; Lawrence Myers as the pipe-smoking, deep-thinking Dr. Spivey who will ultimately do as he’s told; Amber Schmidt and Lauren Cemelli as McMurphy’s lady friends, Candy and Sandy, who only want to show the residents a good time; Oliver King as Turkle, a wizened night watchman who provides the means for a good time; and Aaron Tremper as Ruckley, the lobotomized reminder of Ratched’s unyielding and never-ending power.

Director Sally Gladden has not only brought together an outstanding cast, but also woven a seamless and energetic production.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest takes place at the Rivoli Theatre, 437 Main Street in South Fallsburg on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 2 –11. Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Tickets $15, $12 seniors, $7 students (with a valid ID). The show is free for veterans on July 4. Friday night special – pay what you can. Call 436-5336 or visit the Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop to order tickets online.

To see more photos or to purchase prints from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, visit The Catskill Chronicle on Zenfolio.