McMurphy's Law; Theater tyro William Murphy takes on a legendary role.

Byline: Richard Duckett

It's one of the most challenging and famous modern roles an actor can take on.

So William Murphy wasn't so sure he would get to add a "Mc" in front of his name when he showed up to audition for the Worcester County Light Opera Company's upcoming production of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." He was going for the part of Randle Patrick McMurphy - the criminal but charming rogue who thinks hanging out in a mental institution will beat serving time in prison. He's in for a bit of shock.

Murphy was, as well ...

The stage version of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is an adaptation of Ken Kesey's 1962 novel that opened in 1963 on Broadway starring Kirk Douglas. But most people will associate the character of McMurphy with the image of Jack Nicholson's bravura performance in the 1975 movie.

A daunting enough project to take on, one might think. And at the Worcester County Light Opera Company Playhouse at 21 Grand View Ave. two months ago, the 34-year-old William Murphy was showing up for his very first audition of any sort of play.

But this would not be a quick flyover tryout for Murphy. He landed the part.

"The first (audition). I was really lucky right there," he acknowledged.

"I didn't think I would get it," said Murphy, who recently moved to Worcester from Western Massachusetts and works for an area computer company.

"The director called me that night and said he wanted to see me again. I went back the following night and he told me I had it."

It was no joke - although Murphy one day might go over the experience in his other incarnation as a stand-up comic who has performed at spots such as Foxwoods.

"I was euphoric. That's the only word I can come up with."

The production, which opens Friday, is being directed by Ed Savage. "He (Savage) said, `I'm gonna work you hard,'" Murphy said. "I said, `I'm all for it.'"

So he and his fellow cast members have been working hard. The cast includes Cathy O'Brien as Nurse Ratched and Hans Foy as Chief Bromden.

"I think its going fantastically, actually," Murphy said of the play's preparations. "We've got a good cast, and a great director. We're getting more and more enthused."

McMurphy's character is better therapy for the patients at the hospital than the procedures and medications administered by the staff. The play has lots of humor. But Nurse Ratched, for one, is not amused.

Nicholson and the movie are memorable, but the play was successfully revived on Broadway in 2001 and was the winner of the 2001 Tony Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award for "Outstanding Revival of a Play."

Asked if Nicholson's McMurphy can be a difficult memory to get around for another actor taking on the role, Murphy said, "I wouldn't say it was a problem, but it is something you're conscious of. You don't want to do an imitation. You basically try to do your interpretation."

These are considerations that, on paper at least, you would not have thought Murphy would be considering until a couple of years ago.

Plays? "I don't think I even did one in high school," he said. All the while, however, it turns out he was pondering acting.

"I was always interested in acting but didn't know how to go about it," he said.

Murphy has an extroverted personality and acknowledges that at school he was something of a class clown - so maybe the performing had actually started early. He just didn't get around to doing something about it formally until a little later.

In fact, it was the suggestions of family and friends that pushed him on stage as a stand-up comic. They just thought he would be a natural, he said.

After a good deal of encouragement, "My brother convinced me one night to give it a shot."

So two years ago he took the plunge at a club in Easthampton.

Backstage before his turn, Murphy started to get a trifle nervous. His brother was with him.

"I was pretty much a wreck before I went up on stage," Murphy said. "My brother said, `Get out there. All your friends are out there.' "

But the first dip into the waters of stand-up proved to be a pleasant one. Murphy doesn't remember, per se, getting his first laugh, but he knew that things were going well.

"They were pretty receptive," he said of the audience. Afterward, the hostess of the stand-up that night could not believe this had been Murphy's first time.

"It worked out well enough for me to continue to do it," he said. He's continued to polish his stand-up act at venues around the region.

Encouraged, he decided to take matters a few footsteps farther:

Murphy enrolled in an acting class at Worcester Foothills Theatre Company. The teacher was Foothills' director of education Bob Dolan.

"Bob Dolan - he's fantastic. The course itself was more informative than I can put into words," Murphy said.

The next step after that was to show up for an audition he had read about - the Worcester County Light Opera Company's

"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

Murphy, who is single, plans to continue his new relationship with acting.

"It's definitely something I'll continue to seek out and try to improve upon," he said.

Professionally?

"I would love to do that. It's such a fun thing to do. Such an educational thing to do. It's a constant learning experience."

And it is never too late to learn.

`One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'

When: 8 p.m. Feb. 9, 10, 16, 17, 23 and 24; 2 p.m. Feb. 11 and 18.

Where: Worcester County Light Opera Company, 21 Grandview Ave., Worcester.

How much: $16. Call [phone], or visit www.wcloc.com.

ART: PHOTOS

CUTLINE: (1) William Murphy looks pensive during a rehearsal of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." (2) William Murphy. center, rehearses "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" with James Norris, left, and Gary Martin.

PHOTOG: T&G Photo/PAUL KAPTEYN