The Ohio State University at Newark’s Black Box Theater will keep audiences laughing with its production of “The Nerd,” written by Larry Shue and directed by Senior Lecturer Edie Norlin. The two-act comedy runs for two weeks on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. from Nov. 10-19. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students.
Aspiring young architect Willum Cubbert has often told his friends about the debt he owes to Rick Steadman, a fellow ex-GI whom he has never met but who saved his life after he was seriously wounded in Vietnam. He 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.” 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, 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.
The cast includes Anthony Harper, a senior history major at Ohio State Newark, as the main character and Thomas Beale, a Central Ohio Technical College student, as the nerd. They are joined by Ohio State Newark students Vivian Brockman and Nevin Digney and local actors Tim Smith, Katie Kopp and Rowan Kopp.
The Blackbox Theater is in LeFevre Hall located at 1199 University Drive in Newark. For more information, please visit go.osu.edu/blackboxtheater.
“The Nerd” is presented through special arrangement with Dramatist Play Service.