Making people laugh has always been a Ryan Wantroba standard. He grew up performing in comedies and was a member of his college Improv group. Stepping into the iconic shoes of One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest’s Randal MacMurphy has been a complete 180 and a welcomed challenge for the New Britain resident.
Ryan described MacMurphy as “a hick convict who doesn’t like his jail sentence. He gets into one too many fights and doesn’t like the idea of daily hard labor. The courts see him as a psychopath. He opts to go to a mental institution, thinking it will be easier. When he meets Nurse Ratched, his stubbornness and pride come right to the surface.”
“This is really challenging,” said Ryan. “He is very aggressive and impulsive which is not how I am as a person. It’s a funny show, but it is very much a drama. Working on this has broadened my horizons.”
Originally from Cheshire, Ryan grew up working at local community theaters as an actor and a drummer. He performed with Cheshire Community Theater and Southington Community Theater. He made his Hole in the Wall (HITW) debut in the pit of Bat Boy. His HITW acting credits include: Tartuffe, A Cup of Joe at the Iffy Fish and Whacked. “I like the shows that HITW puts up,” he said. “They are of a very high quality.”
You can catch Ryan as MacMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, playing on October 31, November 1, 6, 7, 8, 14 & 15, 2014 at 8:00p.m.