There have been a myriad of stories about the man who came to dinner, broke his leg and stayed; about unpleasant guests; dead bodies appearing accidentally; and about mistaken identities. All have their worth, but if your idea of a night at the theatre is a rollicking good time and a sore side from laughing too hard then "The Nerd" is just the ticket.
Laughing Stock Theatre Company will return to its roots with a production of "The Nerd" by Larry Shue. The play concerns architect Willum Cubbert (Keith Moore) whose life was saved by Rick Steadman (Scott Creighton) in the Vietnam War. Cubbert was unconscious and never saw the face of his savior, but he and Steadman wrote to each other faithfully after they were both home in the states. Of course, Cubbert promised Steadman his undying gratitude.
"Rick discovers that the man who saved his life in Vietnam is coming to see him. He is at a crossroads in his life, and Rick turns out to be the world's worst houseguest, absolutely the worst," said Bruce Wallace Hostetler, who directed, with the aide of Kathy Wygle. "Willum feels obligated but dreams up a scheme to get him to leave without hurting his feelings."
Rick's untimely visit happens to coincide with Willum's birthday for which his sometime girlfriend, Tansy (Patsy Wygle), has fixed up massive quantities of food. Also present for the party are Willum's boss, Warnock (Jamey Reynolds); his wife, Clelia (Marilyn Teitge); their bratty son, Thor (Jamie Wygle); and, to lighten up the proceedings, theater critic and professional sarcastic wit, Axel (Andrew Alburger).
Shue served as Playwright-in-Residence for the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, which produced "The Nerd" in 1981 starring the playwright as Willum. In 1982 the play moved to England to become the all-time top grossing American play in London's West End. In 1987 "The Nerd" opened on Broadway starring Robert Joy in the title role. It has been produced in all 50 states since.
Shue was killed in a plane crash in 1985. That same year he received two Obie Awards and two New York Drama Critic's Circle Awards. He also wrote the long running Off-Broadway play, "The Foreigner."
There are moments of the farcical and of pathos for all the characters in "The Nerd," though its title is a keen and direct hit on the person of Rick.
"This is the funniest play I have ever read, and that's the truth," said Creighton, who is known for his way around a comedic line or two. Creighton and Tietge appeared in a Sun Valley Repertory production of "The Nerd" 12 years ago.
"It's a hold-your-sides comedy," said Hostetler, who was the stage manager of a production of the play 15 years ago at Indiana Repertory Theatre.
"It's 'I have to come back to see it because I missed things I was laughing so hard,'" said Patsy Wygle.
Wygle plays Willum's frustrated girlfriend, Tansy.
"She's the parody of the woman trying to pursue a career and a life," Wygle said, and then laughed. "I am going to be the Washington Weather Girl."
"Lofty," Andrew Alburger said, while the others laughed along.
The relationship between Willum and Tansy is a "little on the rocks," Wygle continued, looking at her real life spouse, Moore. "She says he doesn't have enough gumption."
"It's a love story," Moore said.
Clearly this cast is having a ball mounting this warm-hearted comedy. Alburger, who is making his third appearance under the Laughing Stock Theatre banner, plays the pithy theatre critic.
"There are so many funny lines," he said. "There are references to old movies, TV shows, theatre. He's the funny next door neighbor who just wants everything to work out. It's such a funny cast and a great laughing director."
Though the cast began rehearsals with Laughing Stock's artistic director, Wygle, helping to block the scenes, she was heavily involved in other things and didn't have the time to commit to direct the show in total.
Hostetler, familiar with the players, the area, and the play from his three outings directing the Sun Valley Shakespeare Festival, agreed to come in for an intensive week of rehearsals to help fully flush out the timing and jokes.
"When you think of comedy and laughter you think of Bruce," Moore said. "We shot him an e-mail to see if he was free. He had a six day window."
Hostetler is based in Ashland, Ore., home of the renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival, with whom he often works. He had a brief respite from "Midsummer's Night Dream," the show he's currently doing there.
"It was a fluke," he said. "I always have thought it was the funniest play I ever had the pleasure of seeing, and it's terrific to work with these core people. The only reason (I agreed to do it) was I trusted them, and they are total pros. You know why these people are doing what they're doing. You believe them, and you feel for them. A lot of comedies don't do that very well."
So why should you take your sweetie to a play called "The Nerd" over Valentine's Day? To show him or her you have a sense of humor, of course.
Playbill
Laughing Stock Theatre Co. presents "The Nerd" by Larry Shue.
· 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, through Sunday, Feb. 18.
· nexStage Theatre, Ketchum.
· $20 general, $30 reserved. 726-4tks or nexStage Theatre during business hours.
Courtesy Limpopo Designs
Keith Moore feels the pain when ?The Nerd,? Scott Creighton, comes to call.
