Dale Wasserman's adaptation of Ken Kesey's novel, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, is being prepared for Broadway sometime in spring 1999, as reported by the NY Post (May 21) and confirmed by producer David Stone.

Stone told Playbill On-Line the play will likely feature two stars (as R.P. McMurphy and Nurse Ratched). He confirmed the NY Post's speculation that Gary Sinese is, among other people, under consideration for the lead, "but we're in preliminary talks. It's really too early to say anything about casting." A brief out-of-town tryout is also anticipated, circa Feb.-Mar. 1999.

The producer did say Joe Mantello (Love! Valour! Compassion!; Mizlansky/Zilinksy; What's Wrong With This Picture?) has been tapped to direct the revival, which will work from the 1971 Off-Broadway script, as opposed to the less successful, original 1963 Broadway version. Wasserman may also make further changes to update the piece, but nothing seismic.

Asked why it was time to revive Cuckoo's Nest, Stone told Playbill On-Line, "It's one of my favorite books, and much as I love the movie, there's more to the story than in the film. It's a great clash of titans, these two characters. It'd be wonderful to see two amazing actors tackle these roles."

Kirk Douglas starred in the original Broadway mounting; his son, Michael Douglas, produced the classic 1975 Milos Forman film which won the Oscar as Best Picture. In between, Wasserman got the stage rights back from Douglas in order to revise the show for Off-Broadway. William Devane starred in that long-running remounting, which later featured a young Jane Curtin as Nurse Ratched.