One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Program

Cast

Chief Bromden - Christopher Crow
Dale Harding - Isaac McKenzieSullivan
Cheswick - Jordan Baker
Billy Bibbit - Chris Bolduc
Scanlon - Nick Hall
Martini - Dave Marsh
Ruckley - Joe Sokolik
Randle P. McMurphy - Ryan Holmberg
Aide Warren - Steven Walker
Aide Williams - Mark Pendleton
Dr. Spivey - Matthew Michael
Nurse Ratched - Danielle Kays
Nurse Flinn - Emily Fitzgerald
Candy Starr - Michelle Lucero
Sandra - Brittany Wilcox

Crew

Director: Rich Garrett
Stage Manager: Kris Garrett
Costumes: Brynn Walker
Properties/Scenic Dressing: Alene Stewart
Set Design: Rich Garrett 
Lighting Design: Danielle Kays
Set Construction: Rich Garrett, Mark Pendleton
Scenic Painting: Alene Stewart, Kris Garrett
Light and Sound Board Operator: Nathan Crummett

Rich Garrett, Director/Set Designer

Rich is excited to bring One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest to the EP stage. Much like the previous EP production, Next to Normal, this show has waited quite some time to make its way to the stage. Rich always welcomes the challenge of bringing a known show to the stage, having directed Rebel Without a Cause, Guys and Dolls as well as Godspell for the Evergreen Playhouse. Cuckoo’s Nest gave Rich a challenge in that he wanted to stay true to the original story by Ken Kesey, but also wanted to explore new avenues in which to make the show come to life on stage. Rich is also very excited to collaborate with his long-time partner in life and crime, Kris, who stage manages yet another production where the only thing you can count on is change! When Rich isn’t at the EP building, designing, directing or acting, he is at home with his wife, kids and grandchildren cooking, playing xbox, or teaching at Chinook Middle School.

A Note From the Director:

We all face challenges.  We all make choices about what battles to fight and when to cut our losses and maintain the status quo. But who gets to decide just what that status quo should be….for you, for me, or for anyone in this world? Why do we, as a society, agree to let those in power wield their privilege in the manner that they best feel benefits them and keeps them in control of human beings, whom they may use as pawns in a colossal game of chess? Ken Kesey’s novel ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ explored these thoughts and many more when it was first published in 1962, followed by the award winning Broadway production and smash Hollywood movie. Kesey forces us to think about the comfort of living within the status quo at the risk of losing individuality and sentient individual thought. Who is in charge of our thoughts, our feelings, and why should we be forced to exist in a world where we are programmed not to question absolute authority? Enter R.P. McMurphy who challenges the manufactured tranquility and societal norms with a sledgehammer.  

I am so happy to have brought this dystopian melodrama to the Evergreen Playhouse stage. It bears an important message: Rise up against the oppressor…dare to say no, to live, to be an individual. An ideal we all should aspire to represent, to have our voice heard, to be recognized as something more than the  faceless masses. We live in a world where we are witness to those who have terrible power and wield it against those who are perceived as weak and we are left with one choice: Rise from the ashes, the rubble and find our voice to say that we are important, that we deserve to live and thrive, no matter the cost. I welcome you to experience that eternal struggle of David versus Goliath tonight, in a mental hospital, somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. I thank you so much for coming out and supporting our artists and the Evergreen Playhouse as we navigate our way out of this pandemic. Stay healthy - and always stand for those who cannot.

Centralia Community Church, Driftwood Players, Michelle Koenen, Shari Blackwell, Celeste Haugan, Harmonic Intervals, Jen Cole.

Jordan Baker, Cheswick

Jordan Baker is excited to be making his acting debut with the Evergreen Playhouse as Cheswick in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest! Jordan most recently directed The Hound of the Baskervilles at the EP. He has previously been seen on stage in shows like The Thanksgiving Play as Jaxton, Ken in Red, Laurie in Little Women and Tony in You Can’t Take It With You. 

Chris Bolduc, Billy Bibbit

Chris is a South Sound performer happy to be returning for his fourth project with the Evergreen Playhouse and his sixth project with fellow actor Nick Hall. You may remember him as Sir Henry in The Hound of the Baskervilles, Harry the Horse in Guys and Dolls; or you may not remember him at all. Other credits include: Orpheus in Eurydice (SPSCC Theatre Collective), Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream (TOAD), and Tony in West Side Story (Centralia College). Outside of performances he waits for rehearsals, typically staring off into the distance for long periods of time.

Christopher Crow, Chief Bromden

Once called "Chehalis' greatest entertainer," Mr. Crow is a lifelong musician, former DJ, and producer/host of a long running local variety show. Alongside his uber-talented sister Michelle Lucero (also in this play), Christopher hopes to further cement his legacy as patriarch of one of Lewis County's finest show business families. This is his first dramatic role. 

Emily Fitzgerald, Nurse Flinn

Emily is thrilled to perform in her first production at the Evergreen Playhouse. She moved to Centralia from Hood River, Oregon, in January 2021 and works as a reporter for The Chronicle. Emily rediscovered her love of acting during a production of Jesus Christ Superstar her senior year of college and has had roles in Our Town, The Foreigner, Dr. Faustus, and Five Women Wearing the Same Dress. One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest was a favorite of hers in high school and she is excited to be part of bringing the story to the stage. 

Nick Hall, Scanlon

Nick has performed in numerous shows at the Evergreen Playhouse in the past. You may have seen him most recently in the season opener The Hound of the Baskervilles. Other favorite roles at the EP include Dickon in The Secret Garden as well as Tom Jenkins in Scrooge, the musical. He also played Francis Flute in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with TOAD. He has worked behind the scenes, directing and accompanying the Centralia College Theatre Club’s production of Love/Sick. Some of Nick’s other appearances include Sancho Panza in Harlequin’s production of Man of La Mancha, Bobby Jeremy and Roy in Centralia College’s Fun Home, and the tenor sax player for Auburn Theatre’s The Rocky Horror Show.   

Michelle Lucero, Candy Starr

Michelle is so excited to be back at the Evergreen Playhouse with such an amazing cast and crew for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest! This is the fifth production that she has been in here at the EP, the most recent being Sissy in Come Back to the 5 and Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. Michelle is also a producer/performer with local burlesque troupe Hub City Shimmy and a local variety show troupe. Known in some circles as local royalty, she was the original Miss Yard Birds and is the current Bride of Jake the Alligatorman. When not performing, Michelle enjoys making music with her family, spending time in nature, playing in the ocean and watching bad movies with her fur babies. Michelle is looking forward to a great run of this stellar show and thanks you all for your continued support of local theatre. 

Ryan Holmberg, Randle P. McMurphy

Ryan is thrilled to be returning for his second show at the Evergreen Playhouse. Last seen as Oberon in TOAD’s production of A Midsummer Nights Dream on the EP’s outdoor stage, the experience was wonderful enough to make the trip from Lacey for another show. Originally slated to play this role before COVID even hit, Ryan has been waiting two years for this play to finally start. He hopes you enjoy the show and thanks you for supporting the arts.

Danielle Kays, Nurse Ratched

Danielle is pleased to be part of this excellent cast of Cuckoo's Nest! Some of her roles here at the Evergreen include Come Back to the 5 and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (Joanne) Guys and Dolls (Doll), Clue, the musical (Mrs. Peacock), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Olive), A Streetcar Named Desire (Blanche), The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 (Helsa), and I Hate Hamlet (Felicia). She was also seen at Centralia College in Almost, Maine (Rhonda, Marci). Other favorite roles include Vera (And Then There Were None), Audrey (The Curate Shakespeare ‘As You Like It’), Cora (Private Eyes), Babe (The Pajama Game), and Titania (A Midsummer Night’s Dream). Danielle would like to thank her family and friends for their support.

Dave Marsh, Martini 

Dave is always thankful for opportunities to be on stage. Most recently he was Snail in A Year With Frog and Toad for Tenino Young at Heart Theater, an understudy for Selsdon in Noises Off at Centralia Community College, and as Father in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever here at the Evergreen Playhouse. He is also looking forward to his role as Harry in Mamma Mia! in a few months. Dave would like to thank his wife Heather for all her support and encouragement. 

Isaac McKenzieSullivan, Dale Harding

Isaac McKenzieSullivan is happy to be back on stage at the EP. Usually taking on comedies and musicals, he is pleased to be stretching outside his comfort zone with something a little more acute. Isaac has a BA in theatre arts from Central Washington University, and is the Artistic Director for Tenino Young-at-Heart Theatre. He works for the Thurston County Food Bank, and lives in Tenino with his wonderful wife and son. 

Matthew Michael, Dr. Spivey

Matthew is glad to be back on stage for Cuckoo’s Nest. EP audiences may remember him from Scrooge, the Musical (2018, 2019), The Secret Garden, The Importance of Being Earnest, Rebel Without a Cause, Children of Eden, And Then There Were None and Don’t Dress for Dinner. He has been seen performing at many theaters along the I-5 corridor. Some of his favorite roles have been Cogsworth in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Wolf/Rapunzel’s Prince in Into the Woods, Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest, and Jacob Marley in Scrooge, The Musical. Some of his favorite shows he has been in are A Chorus Line, Threepenny Opera, Sweeney Todd, Les Miserables, and RENT! He also had the privilege of directing his first Evergreen Playhouse show, Steel Magnolias, and he just recently directed Next to Normal! Enjoy the show!

Mark Pendleton, Aide Williams

Mark has been happily involved for decades with the Evergreen Playhouse from acting, to set building, to Board Member. Recently, he was seen as Nicely Nicely in Guys and Dolls and Caldwell B. Cladwell in Urinetown. Mark is now retired and enjoys time at what he loves most - working at the Newaukum Golf Proshop and swinging the clubs on the course. Love to Tyler and Stacia.

Joe Sokolik, Ruckley

Joe holds a Bachelor’s degree in music education from Central Washington University and has been an Orchestra teacher for North Thurston Public Schools in Lacey for 13 years. He has played as a Cellist with the Olympia Symphony since their 2007 season and is a founding member of the Chinook String Quartet. He is currently pursuing an unofficial certification in “colorful language” and enjoys spending his spare time sitting in the kiddy pool in his front yard drinking inexpensive beer and mouthing off to passersby. This is his second role onstage and his favorite so far.

Steven Walker, Aide Warren

Steven is proud to be returning to the Evergreen Playhouse in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Most recently he appeared here as Harry in Scrooge, the musical and previously as Jim in Rebel Without a Cause, Judas in Godspell, and Mr. Boddy in Clue. He has performed on stage in several venues in the Puget sound for the last eight years. Some of his credits include: Riff in Westside Story and John Canty in The Prince & The Pauper (where, for the first time he worked on stage with his wife Brynn Walker) at Tacoma Musical Playhouse; Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with TOAD; and a myriad of chorus roles in various theaters. He would like to thank his family (both paternal and matrimonial) and his wife Brynn for working so hard to help him find his voice and character in this role. Enjoy!

Brittany Wilcox, Sandra

Brittany is ecstatic to be returning to the stage in this production of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. You may have seen her here before in Don't Dress For Dinner as Suzanne or in And Then There Were None as Vera. Other favorite roles include that of Eponine in Les Miserables, Rizzo in Grease, and Hope in Urinetown. Brittany would like to thank her mother for her undying love and support. She hopes you enjoy the show and thanks you for supporting the arts.

Kris Garrett, Stage Manager

Kris has enjoyed her continued work with TOAD during COVID and learning to navigate theatre in a variety of unique theatrical ways. But being back on headset and having just finished Next to Normal, she is thrilled to keep the headset on to call this show at the EP. She recently directed Usher: a totally teen comedy at Centralia High School and co-directed Seussical, Jr. with Brynn Walker and Brenda Crummett at Charles Wright as part of TOAD’s After School Theatre Outreach Program. She has also brought back to life a glee club directed by TOAD’s music director, Brynn Walker. Her biggest news is she will be placing TOAD’s after school programs in the hands of Brynn Walker and Brenda Crummett as she and her husband move to Mexico in August. Don’t worry, they’ll still have their children’s summer camps here at the EP. Grateful for the years here and grateful for adventures ahead.

Alene Stewart, Props/Set Dresser

Alene (Al to her friends) became a member of The Evergreen Playhouse in March, 2013 when she volunteered to decorate the set of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Her first on stage role was as Prospera in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Her favorite role was Mother in a staged reading of Night Mother by Marsha Norman. But her dream role was as Claree Belcher in Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling. She has a couple that are among her most fun roles. One was Lillian Troy in I Hate Hamlet by Paul Rudnick. The other was Ethel in Moon Over Buffalo by Ken Ludwig. Alene loves the challenge of creating props and set pieces. If you ask her what some of her best creations are, she will tell you vintage microphones for Alfred Hitchcock: The Radio Play by Joe Landry, a bleeding garrotte for Deathtrap by Ira Levin, a radiator heater made out of cardboard and pvc pipe for Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon, a tree trunk constructed of a sono tube/chicken wire and paper mache for Children of Eden by Stephen Schwartz and most recently a wood chopping machine for Beauty and the Beast. And the most creative set she helped with was undoubtedly Play On by Rick Abbot. Alene also serves as the Treasurer for the Evergreen Playhouse. Al invites each and everyone of you to come and join the joy and excitement, the challenges and triumphs, the fun and the hard work that is community theater. There is always room for one more. Let that one more be you.

Brynn Walker, Costumer

Brynn is excited to be involved in a variety of jobs at the EP, most recently bringing Next to Normal back to life as the music director. She also has a passion for costuming and is happy to be a part of this show.  Brynn discovered her love for the arts at an early age from performing to directing where she found a home in the Pacific Northwest theater community. Since moving here she has directed, musically directed, choreographed, and costume designed with nine different companies, public schools and home schooled students. Brynn has been a private voice teacher since 2009 and is continuing to grow her studio. She is currently accepting new students! Brynn is fortunate to have the support of her family and is thankful to live in a community that strives to keep the arts alive. Thanks to her husband, her family, and her son for allowing her the time to continue her passion for the arts.

Danielle Kays, Lighting Designer

Danielle has designed lights at the Evergreen Playhouse since 2015. Her design work has also been seen in other local productions at Centralia College (1984, Antigone, You Can’t Take it With You, Fun Home), TOAD (Mulan, Jr., Once Upon A Mattress, Same Time Next Year) and with Tenino Young-at-Heart (Just So). Some favorites include Next to Normal, The Secret Garden, Godspell, Children of Eden, The Diary of Anne Frank, A Christmas Carol, A Few Good Men, and Grease. 

Nathan Crummett, Light and Sound Board Operator

Nathan attends Adna High School and Centralia College. He enjoys spending time with friends, acting, singing, working out, and playing video games. Favorite roles include The Beast/Prince in Beauty and the Beast Jr. (TOAD), Scar in The Lion King Jr. (TOAD), and Dr. Watson in The Hound of the Baskervilles (Evergreen Playhouse), and he also enjoyed playing a variety of roles in Scrooge the Musical (Evergreen Playhouse). Nathan enjoys learning all aspects of theatre whether onstage or behind the scenes and is pleased to be a part of the tech crew for this production.

Bob Holland Insurance

Book 'n' Brush

Centralia College

Centralia Community Church of God

Designs by Danielle

Dick's Brewery

Doggie Designs Pet Grooming

Hub Bub*

Jeff Kingsbury*

McMenamin’s Olympic Club

Newaukum Golf and Banquet

O’Blarney’s*

PostNet

Security State Bank

The Albee's Garden Parties

The Rectangle Gallery*

The Undershirt*

TOAD Theatre LLC

*show sponsor

Welcome back to the Evergreen Playhouse. My goodness, how we’ve missed you. It has been over a year and half since we have been together and we are so grateful to bring theatre back to the Evergreen Playhouse stage.

We took this gift of time to renovate and rejuvenate our beautiful theatre and we took time to raise money to help offset the loss of income during those difficult 20 months. As you sit here in the theatre, you will notice the new paint, the new carpet, the new seats but most of all you will notice how good it feels to be here celebrating the stories of our 62nd season.

Live theatre is important, it is immediate, and it is necessary. Our stories this year will feature actors putting themselves out there for you to love or hate, they will bare their souls to you, share the vulnerability of these characters, and they will bring laughter, joy and a little bit of intrigue to you as well.

When you, the audience, reacts, applauds, gasps, or is held in silence, that is what live theatre is - that moment where the people onstage connect with the people in the seats and there is no better feeling when that connection is made. Thank you all for joining us in person again - it is so good to be back.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the show -

Kris Garrett, Board President

To contact the board, please email us. Board meetings are open to the public and are every second Sunday of the month at 6:30pm.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Show Sponsor

Our other Show Sponsors for Season 62: