Theatre Northeast, the student theatre group at Northeast Texas Community College, is set† present the ?side-splitting comedy? by Larry Shue,†The Nerd.†The show will be performed in the onstage theatre at the Whatley Center for the Performing Arts and runs February 28, March 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m. There will also be a matinee on March 3 at 2:05 p.m.
Described as ?one of the funniest plays ever written,? this extraordinarily inventive farce has pleased audiences since its first production in 1981.The story of the play involves Willum Cubbert, an aspiring young architect from Indiana, who has often told his friends about the debt he owes to Rick Steadman. Rick is an ex GI whom Cubbert had never met, but who saved his life after he was seriously wounded in Vietnam.
Willum has written to Rick to say that, as long as he is alive, ?you will have somebody on Earth who will do anything for you? ?so Willum is delighted when Rick shows up unexpectedly at his apartment on the night of his 34th birthday party. But his delight soon fades as it becomes apparent that Rick is a hopeless ?nerd??a bumbling oaf with no social sense, little intelligence and less tact. As Rick stays on and on?AND ON, his continued presence among Willum and his friends leads to one uproarious incident after another, until the normally placid Willum finds himself contemplating violence?a dire development which, happily, is staved off by the surprising ?twist? ending of the play.
Playing the role of the ?Nerd?, Rick Steadman, is Nick Derby of Mount Pleasant.† Willum is played by Tyler Beadle of Mount Pleasant. Other cast members are Lauren Shortnacy of Mount Pleasant, playing Willum?s girlfriend, Tansy; Cory Myers of Mount Pleasant and Kendall Williams of Marshall playing the role of Willum?s friend Axel; John Chambers of Mount Pleasant as Warnock Wargrave; Brittany Derby of Mount Pleasant as Clelia Wargrave; and Cassie Pennington of Mount Pleasant as Gerd Walgrave. Production Stage Manager is Kati Barrett of Mount Pleasant and Assistant Stage Manager is Stormy Mack of Winnsboro.† The production is directed by NTCC Theatre Director Douglas Hoppock.
Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for age 17-and-under and $3 for NTCC Faculty, Staff and Sr. Citizens. NTCC students are free with a currentID.† Due to the limited number of seats in the onstage theatre, reservations are requested by calling the Whatley Box Office at 903-434-8181. The Nerd has some mature subject matter.
