The cast and crew for this years’ one act play, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, was announced December 6. The play follows the story of a group of men in a psychiatric ward, and is set in the late 1950’s, a time period in which mental health treatment often did more harm than good to its patients.

“It is a chilling story,” senior Ana Arthur said. “It’s very dark. What [mental institutions] did to people back then was wrong, and we get to use this show as a learning lesson.”

The main conflict in the show revolves around Nurse Ratched, portrayed by Arthur, and recently committed patient Randall McMurphy, portrayed by senior Cullan Payne. Other main characters in the show include Billy Bibbit, a patient with a speech impediment portrayed by senior Matthew Kennedy, Chief Bromden, an insecure patient portrayed by sophomore Rhett Brady, and Dale Harding, a self committed patient portrayed by senior Evan Hays.

“What makes this show important is that it’s so complex,” Hays said. “It covers gender issues, masculinity and femininity, corruption, but most of all it makes a statement about accepting yourself and others for who you are.”

Other characters in the show are the patients Scanlon, portrayed by senior Patrick Wilbanks, Martini, portrayed by senior Austin Graham, Cheswick, portrayed by senior Nick Davila, and Ruckley, portrayed by senior Jacob Vaughn.

“The characters in the show are a goldmine for the actors,” Davila said. “There are so many unique choices that we are able to make when playing these [characters] that will really help bring the show to life. Every character is a testament to how poorly people with mental illnesses were treated when we knew little about what caused their issues.”

The minor characters in the show are Candy, portrayed by senior Miranda Pizer, Sandra, portrayed by junior Ariel O’Gwin, Nurse Flinn, portrayed by senior Amanda Castillo, and Dr Spivey, portrayed by senior Carter Wiseman. Aides Warren and Williams are portrayed by juniors Gavin Davis and Gage Delosh respectively.

“My favorite aspect of the show is the friendship brought upon the characters when McMurphy arrives,” Davis said. “To me, this show brings everyone together, real or not.”