Photo Homage to Cuckoo's Nest

So… Did you find the certificates yet? One more to go….

Clue for the fourth and final certificate for TWO FREE tickets to Cuckoo's Nest:

ps… if it isn't found by 2:00pm today I will give a more detailed clue

"A place to find textbooks and other things. In one of 3 hardbacks the tickets lay. Here's one more hint to light your way: this place sold subs but now only coffee in the same place the those tickets lay."

HINT # 2 for FREE Cuckoo's Nest tickets

Find this:

Bring it to the Theatre VCU Box Office

And you will receive TWO FREE tickets for one of this weekend's 

Here's Hint # 2

It's not a riddle It's a riddle in a code!!

The code is a number assigned to each letter in numerical order so:

A;1 B;2 C;3 D;4 E;5 F;6 G;7 H;8 I;9 J;10 K;11 L;12 M;13 N;14 O;15 P;16 Q;17 R;18 S;19 T;20 U;21 V;22 W;23 X;24 Y;25 Z;26

Now here is the riddle in code!

'20.14.4.5.18.   1.   20.1.2.12.5.   1.20.   19.20.1.18.2.21.3.11.'19.   9.   8.9.4.5.

 1.   14.9.7.8.20.   15.21.20.   9.19.   23.8.1.20.   25.15.21.'4.   6.9.14.4.

  

  9.6.   15.14.5.   6.12.5.23.   15.22.5.18.   20.8.5.   3.21.3.15.15.'19.   14.5.19.20.'

There are 8 FREE tickets available to this weekend's production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest!! You just have to find them…..

There are FOUR

(count them: 1-2-3-4)

Certificates

That look like this:

Each certificate will get you TWO FREE tickets to see

THIS IS THE LAST WEEKEND OF THIS POWERFULLY BEAUTIFUL SHOW:

Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7:30 pm

Friday, Feb. 21 at 7:30 pm

Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 pm

Sunday, Feb. 20 at 3:00 pm

If you find this certificate you must bring it to the Theatre VCU Box Office at least a half hour before the show 

to claim your tickets.

You also must take a photo of yourself and send it to

gmbrannan@vcu.edu

(so it can appear on our Facebook page)

Here is the first hint:

If you want to play, 

You will have to play, 

Underneath the food courts, you will hit the 8 ball

And see the play without pay. 

The next hint goes up at 3:00 pm today!

Theatre as "noise maker" - read this interview with Cuckoo's Nest director, Ed Herendeen

How is a 1963 play based on a Ken Kesey novel relevant to today’s audience?

It’s true that Cuckoo’s Nest is set in a mental institute located in the northwest in the early 60’s – even though it’s 50 years old it is certainly neither a period piece or just a play about the mental health industry. It is a microcosm of society – today’s society. Its core concept is about rebellion and change - Rebellion against conformity. - Rebellion against a repressive society.

Through his work, Ken Kesey bridged the gap between the “Beat Generation” of the 1950’s and the “Counter Culture” generation of the 1960’s. This play was produced on the cusp of the civil rights, women’s rights, and the anti-war movements. And while Cuckoo’s Nest did expose the mistreatment of the mentally ill, it also explores how religious and government repression leads to revolution.  When the “rebel” Randle P. McMurphy chooses a short sentence in a mental hospital over prison time he stands up against the tyranny of Nurse Ratched’s oppression.  McMurphy represents freedom and non-conformity, and while he suffers the consequences of taking a stand, his fellow

inmates are emotionally liberated.

Cuckoo’s Nest relates to this generation in so many ways. It speaks to so many questions – privacy; our mistrust of government; how our every movement and conversation is being recorded; how much power do we have to direct our lives. It provides the audience with questions – Is McMurphy a Christ figure? What is freedom? In this society, who are the insane people? What makes a hero?

What is your process in creating this world on stage?

After doing the research about the play, the novel, the era it was created, the authors, etc. I move into developing a concept., begin working with the designers, and start creating the world of the play

Cuckoo’s Nest is a character driven play. Our actors have developed in-depth back-stories of the characters they play. It is a perfect vehicle for these young pre-professional actors. By analyzing their character they can bring the characters to life to tell their stories. In live theatre we are all “creators of belief” and when belief is created, the power is transformative and spellbinding. The audience is swept into the world created on stage. Both the actors and the audience are in a state of belief together - in the moment – only live theatre can create this forum for a living conversation.

Like McMurphy, those of us in theatre should be “noise makers”. Asking questions, challenging our ideas.  To paraphrase Stephan Dietz, the playwright:  "We can learn more from someone's fury than we can from community approved sanitized art. American theatre needs more hand grenades.”  Theatre VCU’s production of Cuckoo’s Nest will be one of those hand grenades.