Sterling K. Brown might be on his way to Broadway.
Brown and Laura Benanti are headlining a reading of a new Broadway-aimed production of the classic play “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” The reading is scheduled to take place today (May 18) in New York City – with the team behind the reading setting their hopes on a Broadway run.
The reading will be directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah, the artistic director of Young Vic. Brown will portray the rebellious Randle P. McMurphy, while Benanti will take on the role of the steely Nurse Ratched.
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” based on Ken Kesey’s acclaimed novel, offers a gripping portrayal of psychiatric patients in the 1960s and the clash between McMurphy, a charismatic rebel feigning insanity, and Nurse Ratched, a formidable authority figure. The play originally debuted on Broadway in 1963, starring Kirk Douglas. Its 2001 revival, featuring Gary Sinise, received the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. The critically acclaimed film adaptation, starring Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher, secured five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Sterling K. Brown, a seasoned actor across stage, film, and television, gained widespread acclaim for his role in “This Is Us.” He made history as the first African-American actor to win a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a television drama. Brown’s notable works also include his Emmy-winning performance in “The People v. O.J. Simpson: AMERICAN CRIME Story” and his appearances in “Black Panther.”
Kwei-Armah has gained recognition in New York for his notable productions of Shakespearean plays such as “Twelfth Night,” “A Comedy of Errors,” and “Much Ado About Nothing” at The Public Theater.
Laura Benanti’s impressive Broadway career includes starring roles in productions such as “The Sound of Music,” “Gypsy,” and “My Fair Lady,” for which she won a Tony Award. She has also made notable appearances in television shows like “Younger” and “Gossip Girl” and will soon be seen in the highly anticipated second season of “The Gilded Age.” Benanti has recently ventured into film, starring in Netflix’s “Worth” and the upcoming Sony Pictures comedy “No Hard Feelings.”
(Originally read on Variety)
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