One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest "Three actors hold keys to unlock story's power

The action of Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" centers on a battle of wills between Randle McMurphy, a convict who thinks a trip to the state mental hospital will be an easy way to ride out his sentence, and Nurse Ratched, who runs the ward with a calm smile and an iron fist. But, in some ways, the key character is Chief Bromden, the ward's longest-tenured patient, who serves (in the novel and to a lesser extent in the play) as the story's narrator. His relationship with McMurphy and the contrasting arcs of their fortunes are the heart of the matter.

Mac, Big Nurse and Chief Broom -- as the characters also are known -- are the keys to the story's power. Here's a look at the actors tasked with bringing them to life onstage.