The Playground NYLA, Barefoot Theatre CompaNY & Pontifex Production proudly present
One Flew Over the cuckoo’s nest
by dale wasserman
Based on the novel by Ken Kesey
Directed by Francisco Solorzano
Production tEam
Lead Producers - The Playground NYLA, Barefoot Theater Company, Pontifex Production, Rose Kanj, Evgeniya Radilova
Costume Designer - María Flores Galindo
Sound Designer - Francisco Solorzano
Fight Choreographer - Avalon Belle
Lighting Designer - Niluka Hotaling
Marketing - Lina Hoang
Stage Manager - Sara Minisquero
Cast
The patients
Chief Bromden - Salvatore Inzerillo
Dale Harding - J. Madison Johnston
Billy Bibbit - Francisco Solorzano
Scanlon - Nara Chaib Mendes
Cheswick - Dena Tyler
Martini - Paul Skye Lehrman
Ruckley - Myla Pitt
Randle P. McMurphy - Sayra Player
George - Skyler James Bailey
Fredrickson - Rose Kanj
Sefelt - Evgeniya Radilova
Biancini - Richarda Abrams
The Staff
Aide Warren - Steven Vause
Aide Williams - James B Kennedy
Dr. Spivey - Myla Pitt
Nurse Ratched - Jacqueline Knapp
Nurse Flinn - Wonhee Kim
Aide Turkle - Richarda Abrams
Others
Candy Starr - Kate Taney Billingsley
Sandra - Rose Kanj (Thursday & Friday) & Dario Torres (Saturday & Sunday)
Who’s Who
Salvatore Inzerillo
SAVLATORE INZERILLO (Chief Bromden) The West End: Donmar Warehouse directed by Sam Mendes; Pioggi in The Iceman Cometh with Nathan Lane & Brian Dennehy, d/Robert Falls at BAM & Goodman, Chicago; Dutch in Dutch Heart of Man, Public Theater. Roles originated in Stephen Adly Guirgis plays directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman: Charlie in In Arabia We’d All Be Kings, Charles D’Amico in Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train, and St. Simon in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. TV: Law & Order, Criminal Intent, SVU, Boardwalk Empire, New Amsterdam, The Deuce. Film: Federic Cannoli in Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Jack Goes Boating. Founder & Artistic Director: Actors Theater of NYC & Nomad Theater Company, LA. Member of LAByrinth Theater Company & The Actors Studio.
J. Madison Johnston
J. MADISON JOHNSTON (Dale Harding) is an actor, novelist, poet and singer/songwriter. He played Butch Honeywell and later, Judge Littlefield in the Actors Studio and LaMama productions of LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT. He was Father Lux in OUR LADY OF 121st ST at the Actors Studio. He starred in the film short, REMEMBERING COLIN STAHL, which was featured at the Holly Shorts Film Festival in Hollywood. He was the lead in AMERICANISM soon to be released, and had a prominent role in LISTEN F$CKERS, a film by Sayer Player. His play, PAINTED GORILLAS was produced in London and New York City. He is the author of two novels, and is a published poet. He has a CD out, MAGNOLIA MAN, and plays and sings around NY/NJ with his band, The Honky-Tonk Scoundrels. He is a lifetime member of the Actors Studio.
FRANCISCO SOLORZANO
FRANCISCO SOLORZANO (Director, Billy Bibbit) is an award-winning Latino actor, filmmaker, and storyteller whose work spans film, television, and theater.
Francisco’s directorial productions have been seen Off-Broadway, at regional theaters, and internationally, including in Chongqing, China with 303 Theatre. As co-founder of Barefoot Theatre Company, Barefoot Studio Pictures, and Cabin Collective Studio, Francisco has spent over two decades directing and producing theater, film, and humanitarian projects that unite art with social impact. He currently serves as Creative Director of Connected Health Solutions, Inc., a team of filmmakers and behavioral health professionals using storytelling and media to inspire mental health awareness and social change.
Francisco’s films have screened and won awards at festivals around the world. His select credits include Silent Generation (Denver Film Festival), Cyclone, A Northern Star, starring Lynn Cohen, Macho (Warner Bros. Discovery’s New York Latino Film Festival), and Floating Sunflowers, starring Anna Chlumsky, now streaming on Amazon Prime. His latest film, The Shave, starring Paul Skye Lehrman, will have its world premiere this season at the Beverly Hills Film Festival.
Francisco studied at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Sundance Collab, and Brooklyn College, where he earned his BFA in Acting and Cinema Arts. He is a Lifetime Member of The Actors Studio.
Nara Chaib Mendes
NARA CHAIB MENDES (Scanlon) is a New York based actress, acting coach, and screenwriter. She has taken part in multiple award-winning productions. Moving fluidly between acting, coaching, and writing, Nara builds a body of work defined by artistic rigor and a strong commitment to storytelling
Studied at the Lee Strasberg Film & Theatre Institute (NY). Core actress of Brazil’s CPT – Center for Theatre Research, directed by Antunes Filho. BA in Body Arts Communication (theatre, dance & performance). Acting coach for streaming series including Netflix’s "Radioactive Emergency”, Sintonia" and "Brotherhood". Film credits Include: Private Desert (GDA-Venice Festival winner/Brazil’s Official Oscar Submission 2022. Trilingual.
Dena tyler
DENA TYLER (Cheswick) Fans will recognize Tyler from her recurring role as the dynamic, inspirational defense attorney, Liberty, alongside Michael Weatherly on CBS’s, Bull. She simultaneously recurred on HULU's, The Path as Claudia, the devoted follower rising to fire & brimstone Cult Leader. Most recently she starred in Park Avenue with Fiona Shaw, directed by Sundance alum Gaby Dellal. Select TV credits include: Blue Bloods, Chicago Med, NCIS NOLA, Homeland, Orange is the New Black, Instinct (Guest Starring opposite Alan Cumming), The Deuce, The Path, 30 ROCK, & all of the L&Os. On the stage she played Charlotta opposite Ellen Burstyn in The Cherry Orchard & her portrayal of Emma in Betrayal at MSTgarnered her a nomination for Best Actress in a Drama at Broadway World’s Regional Awards. She is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio www.DenaTyler.com
Paul Skye Lehrman
PAUL SKYE LEHRMAN (Martini) is an award-winning actor, filmmaker, and producer born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He is known for his television work on New Amsterdam, The Resident, Blue Bloods, and Bull. Beyond the screen, Paul is an advocate for protecting artists and creativity in the age of AI and produces community-centered live events such as The Jewish Dating Game in New York City. He continues to pursue work rooted in truth, discipline, and emotional depth. Paul is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio.
MYLA PITT
MYLA PITT (Ruckley, Dr. Spivey) Myla’s recent film credits include The Shave, Mincemeat Manor, Inheritance and Masterpiece written and directed by Tony award winner Michael Aronov. She recently appeared on the LaMama stage in NYC in American Rot and at the Harlem Stage with the American Physical Theatre. Directing credits include The Blue Room by David Hare at The Queens Theatre in the Park, Jump Man: A Mario Brothers Musical (winner of Best Musical) at the NYC Fringe Festival.
Myla has worked for the past 10 years as co-director and producer with actress/director Estelle Parsons on productions including The Danube by Maria Irene Fornes, Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekov and Reentry - a devised piece about formerly incarcerated men
Myla is a Lifetime Member of the Actors Studio. She teaches Pilates and yoga and is a private acting coach.
SAYRA PLAYER
SAYRA PLAYER (Randle P. McMurphy) is a multidisciplinary artist and educator whose television credits include FBI, Law & Order, Blue Bloods, Inside Amy Schumer, Gringo Hunters and the upcoming Foster Dade. An accomplished stage actor, her theater highlights include Getting Into Heaven at The Flea, Old Times at the Actors Studio, and Hurricane Party at the Cherry Lane.
As the Artistic Director of The Collective NY in 2018, Sayra nourished over 65 artists through theater productions, short films, and workshops. Her extensive film work has premiered at Sundance, SXSW, and Rotterdam. A lifetime member of The Actors Studio, Sayra trained in movement and voice at the Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski. She currently leads acting workshops at theplaygroundnyla.com.
skyler james bailey
SKYLER JAMES BAILEY (George) is a New York City based actor. Born in The Bronx, NY. THEATER: Thoughts Of A Colored Man Dir. Tremane Harris (651 Arts 2025) Lions Don’t Hug Dir. Stella Sacca (Winterfest 2020, Brooklyn Art Haus Residency 2023), Black Magic Dir. Tony Jenkins (Fringe Festival Winner 2016), Serials at The Fled Dir. Crystal Sky Williams. WORKSHOP: BAM Residency Workshops (2024) Dir. Postell Pringle. FILM: Uptown The Way God Intended Dir. KarynRose Bruyning (Vimeo Staff Pick 2022, Webby Award Honoree 2023), XXVisible Dir. Bobby Yan (Best Drama Short Coney Island Film Festival 2022). TELEVISION: Only Murders In The Building (Hulu 2024), Law & Order (Peacock 2025).
Rose kanj
ROSE KANJ (Fredrickson, Sandy) is a NYC-based actress, vocalist, and writer. She is passionate about sharing stories from all walks of life and strives to empower others to live as their most authentic, free selves through her work. Some of her favorite credits include her autobiographical one-woman play Loving Me (The Tank); Record by Eduardo Pavez Goye and Rodrigo Muñoz Medina (DUAF’s 22nd Season Best Short Award–winning play); and The Board (Alpha Mare Films). Rose proudly holds an MFA in Acting from the Actors Studio Drama School and a BA in Music from Berklee College of Music. @rose.kanj
EVGENIYA RADILOVA
EVGENIYA RADILOVA (Sefelt) is a Bulgarian–American actor, filmmaker, producer, and creator known for her work on Law & Order: SVU, Limitless, Elementary, and Blue Bloods. A lifetime member of The Actors Studio, she has performed alongside Ellen Burstyn in The Cherry Orchard. As co-founder of iDare Productions, her award-winning films Patrik and El Cavil have garnered international festival acclaim, and she co-produced and starred in the feature Lost Cos, earning Best Actress at the Chelsea Film Festival along with multiple additional awards. She is also the creator of Empower Your Essence, a transformative practice that integrates theater, movement, and self-exploration to empower women to embody their authentic voice and inner power. www.evgeniyaradilova.net
richarda abrams
RICHARDA ABRAMS (Biancini, Aide Turckle), 4X AUDELCO award-winning performer/playwright: First By Faith: The Life Of Mary McLeod Bethune, Bethune: Our Black Velvet Rose, & Big Mama and Me. Performances include: Crossroads Theatre Co., Ivoryton Playhouse, NYC’s Public Theater, Cherry Lane, 2ndStage, La Mama (director Estelle Parsons) and New Federal Theatre (director Woodie King, Jr.) Film/TV: I Am Here, The Subject,The Riverside Bench, Oreos With Attitude (Showtime) CBS, ABC, LIFETIME, Sesame Street. Singing: with her father Dr. Muhal Richard Abrams’ CD (Song For All), and Amina Claudine Myers' Generation IV. She holds a B.F.A. with honors in Acting (New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts) and M.A. in Educational Theatre (NYU’s Steinhardt). www.RichardaAbrams.com
Steven vause
STEVEN VAUSE (Aide Warren) NY Theatre: Art at Katonah Classic Stage, Master of the Crossroads with The Primitive Grace Theatre Ensemble, Quick Fix with The Collective NY, Johnny Johnson at ReGroup Theater Company (dir. Estelle Parsons), Boogie Woogie Landscapes at New Federal Theater, Maria Kizito at The Flea Theater, Joyce Carol Oates's The Key at The Schoolhouse, Isabella Dreams the New World at Ohio Theater/SoHo Think Tank, In New England Winter at Juilliard. Also, La Mama, Williamstown Theater Festival, and Atlantic Theater Company. TV & Film: SNL, Sex and the City (HBO), Women: Stories of Passion (Showtime), the independent feature, Paris is in Harlem, and the forthcoming Lost in You. He is a member of The Primitive Grace Theatre Ensemble and a Lifetime Member of The Actors Studio.
james B kennedy
JAMES B KENNEDY (Aide Williams) is a Brooklyn based actor & artist, who’s worked professionally in theatre, film, television, commercials, & video games, for over 25 years. Recent theatre credits include Jose Rivera’s “Look What Crashed Through the Portal & Landed in Brooklyn” at The Chain Theare, & “Lovesong(Imperfect)” at 14th St. Y, Erik Ehn’s “The Weak & The Strong” at LaMama, & Dan Moyer’s “All Is Bright”, at I.R.T. & MN Fringe. Insta - @jk__all__day
jacqueline knapp
JACQUELINE KNAPP (Nurse Ratched) began her career as a voice-over artist. She did CBS Television’s “Reach Out” Series, along with PBS’s shorts “Who Is She?,” about muses for famous artists. She was on Broadway in “Dancing At Lughnasa,” Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway in numerous plays. She worked in 25 Regional Theatres.
In film and TV, she’s worked with Al Pacino, John Goodman, Tom Hulce, Steve Buscemi, among others.
Jacqueline taught acting for over 15 years, created a special workshop for self-care of the actor, and continues to coach.
She is a member of the Actors Studio, where she has had the good fortune of working with Lee Strasberg, Ellen Burstyn, Paul Newman, Arthur Penn, among others.
Wonhee kim
WONHEE KIM (Nurse Flinn) is a New York City–based Korean actress and producer drawn to honest, human stories that bridge cultures, bringing heart, depth, and vulnerability to her work on stage and screen. Her favorite credits include Four Dogs and a Bone by John Patrick Shanley (Studio 17); The Heaviest Burden (Samuel French OOB Festival); Wu Wei on the Table(Yangtze Rep Theater); Matters and Blue Hour (New York Short Film Festival); and films featured at the Busan and Incheon Film Festivals. As a producer, her work includes the short films Listen F$ckers, 6 O’Clock, the music video AEIOU-Z (feat. Lena Park), King and the Clown (Off-Broadway workshop), and Loving Me (The Tank). She holds an MFA from the Actors Studio Drama School and co-founded Pontifex Production. @wonder.woman.wonhee
Kate taney billingsley
KATE TANEY BILLINGSLEY (Candy Starr) is an actor/playwright based in NYC and has taught acting at The Actors Studio Drama School for the past 10 years. Kate's most recent theater credits include: Secrets (Creative Immigrant Prod), American Rot (Actors Studio), People USA (Bardavon), White Fatigue (Utopia Theater Project). She recently wrapped two Indie feature films, Lost In You (Kallas) and Outen the Light (Girls Soup). Kate wrote and acted in Into The Bardo, one of five short films produced as the anthology What We Do In The Light by the Cabin Collective, of which she is also a member. Kate is a Lifetime member of the Actors Studio. Abolish ICE. www.katetaneybillingsley.com.
DARIO TORRES
DARIO TORRES (Sandy) is a New York native, an Actors Studio Drama School MFA graduate & a Lifetime member of the Actors Studio. Some of his pervious theatrical credits include Jesus Hopped the A Train (Angel), Othello (Iago), The Wiz (The Lion), & Tape (Vince). Some of his most recent TV credits include “Bosch,” “Get Shorty,” “Power Book II: Ghost,” and “1,000 Ways To Die.”
MAría flores galindo
MARÍA FLORES GALINDO (Costume Designer) Born and raised in Spain and now based in New York City, María Flores Galindo holds a Master’s degree in Fashion Accessories Design from Istituto Europeo di Design in Madrid. After relocating to New York, she developed her personal brand, Unlinde, while continuing her studies in fashion. She completed the Costume Design and Wardrobe Technician Specialist Certificate Program at the Fashion Institute of Technology, leading her to work on a variety of film and theater productions. For the past three years, she has collaborated with LaGuardia Community College’s theater program. She also has experience shooting music videos for international artists and contributing to short films currently in post-production. Her work spans costume design, wardrobe management, production design, and collaborative creative projects across multiple media.
SARA MINISQUERO
SARA MINISQUERO (Stage Manager)- Juilliard Professional Apprentice Program, formerly interim tech coordinator at BAAD Bronx! and Stage Manager of the Applause Dance Company. Recent PSM and show-calling credits include I Came Back For Molly- solo work at Theatre Row presented by APF, The Goddamn Tooney Lunes presented by Rat Queen at Ars Nova, Bowie: 80 with Michael T at Joe's Pub, The Matriarchs presented by Anna & Kitty at Theaterlab, King Hedley II at Juilliard (Group 57), [my utopias] as part of the Exponential Festival at The Loading Dock and The Tusk Hunters puppetry workshop at The Cell. Sara is also a dramaturg, fight captain, puppeteer, actor and fabricator. Much love to Chef Ricky.
NILUKA HOTALING
NILUKA HOTALING (Lighting Designer) is a New York City–based multidisciplinary artist with over 25 years of experience in design and technical production. She holds an MFA in Design and Technical Production from Brooklyn College, where she has been on the faculty since 2005 and as Production Manager since 2013.
Her work spans management, set, props, and lighting design. Notable credits include Production Management for Dropping Gumballs on Luke Wilson, Bamboo in Bushwick (Working Theater), Hart Island (Mason Holding), Stage Management for Desir and Absinthe (Spiegelworld). Design work includes I Am HERE, Constant as a Northern Star, and Floating Sunflowers (Barefoot Studios short film). Her lighting design credits include collaborations with choreographers Artis Smith and Germane Salzburg, Say Gay Plays Festival (Voyage Theater Company), and Directors Feast: New Works Festival (Worldwide Lab), among others. Memorable Set designs: On the Verge, Act a Lady, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur (Brooklyn College), What To Do When you Hate All Your Friends, A Guy Adrift in the Uniiverse(Four Chairs Theater). Marisol , Red Sneaks, Ashigirl ( Henry Street Urban Youth Theater). Anna in the Tropics, Six degrees of Separation, and A Bright Room Called Day for Stella Adler School. Niluka is a member of United Scenic Artists Local 829.
AVALON BELLE
AVALON BELLE (Fight Choreographer) is a New York City–based fight choreographer, actress, and jazz vocalist. She holds an MFA in Acting from the Actors Studio and has trained in stage combat with Neutral Chaos and the Society of American Fight Directors.
Her fight choreography and movement direction credits include the Actors Studio Festival (Fall 2022), The Fantasticks, Disgraced, and Peter and the Starcatcher.
She incorporates principles from fitness training and breathwork techniques into her choreography, drawing from her extensive background as a Pilates instructor and Personal Trainer. Her work emphasizes safety, efficiency, and responsiveness to performers' individual physical abilities, creating dynamic and sustainable movement for the stage.
Lina hoang
LINA HOANG (Marketing) is a New York City based actor, content creator, and Marketing Manager passionate about storytelling across stage, screen, and digital platforms. She has performed in film, television, and theater, with roles in Very Berry Blue, The One Left Behind, and Smarter Than You Think, and has appeared on stage at Ensemble Studio Theatre. Alongside her acting work, Lina leads marketing initiatives that blend creative strategy with social-first content, building narratives that connect with real audiences. Her dual background gives her a unique perspective on performance and storytelling. A proud Vietnamese-American creative, she is passionate about amplifying diverse voices and creating work that feels authentic, engaging, and impactful.
Instagram: @iamlinahoang
ABOUT THE PRODUCERS
The Playground NYLA is a creative incubator and production company focused on method-based storytelling. Barefoot Theatre Co is an award-winning NYC/LA ensemble celebrating over 25 years of provocative theater. Pontifex Production is a multicultural production house dedicated to "bridge-building" through the arts.
A Note from the director
“With a female McMurphy at its center, the play becomes less about rebellion in a specific time and more about the timeless fight against systems that erase identity. In today’s world, where questions of autonomy, power, and who gets to be heard are front and center, this story demands to be seen anew. Our production draws greater inspiration from the play's original source, the novel by Ken Kesey. Featuring lifetime members of The Actors Studio, the production has been developed through director and actor sessions, creating a process-driven work that prioritizes authenticity, psychological depth, and ensemble truth.” - Francisco Solorzano
BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHELE L ARAZI
this production dedicated to the loving warrior spirit of our mcmurphy, elizabeth kemp
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I was sitting alone in 2017 casting a gender swap cuckoos nest when out of the blue Elizabeth called me to say she was casting a gender swap cuckoo. I had always wanted to play Billy. We worked fro 2 solid years, with many people. Sal was always our chief… and then our beloved EK was taken from us before we could mount our play. It took me/Billy a long time to become a person who could begin to fill McMurphy’s shoes. I think I’m ready EK, and if I’m not well I still got the guts. Thank you Elizabeth you lift us all each and every day.
xo, Sayra/ Billy/McMurphy
HUGE THANKS TO THE ACTORS STUDIO
A place where many of us have called home for a long time.
special thanks for the support of the league of professional theatre women
Please stay after and say hello to the cast. We are so grateful for your support!
SPECIAL THANKS
ANA HARTMAN, DEBORAH DOMINGUEZ, BETTINA SCHWABE, ANYA ZIOUROVA, ANGELA KANJ, FRANCISCO VALERA, MICHELE ARAZI, LIAM BURKE, BRYSON BRODIE