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their youth, such as shooting down planes. Upon learning that Rick is afraid of pigs, Axel tells him that Willum turns into a pig when the moon is full. They begin a "hideous Pagan ritual", chanting and marching to a pig-god in order for Willum to stay a man. During the 'ritual', cottage cheese is thrown out the window. Waldgrave soon enters the room, covered in cottage cheese. Unbeknownst to Willum, Rick had invited him for dinner. Waldgrave tears up Willum's contract and storms out. Having been pushed over the brink, Willum begins packing Rick's things, and finally forces him to leave.
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and calls Kemp to say, "I think we did it, babe...I think a hundred percent." Kemp joins him: no longer the klutzy Rick, now an urbane, intelligent man. Kemp wonders what the real Rick
Steadman is like, and Axel says, "Nice fella, probably." Kemp, who has made Willum's life hell for weeks, says, "Not a bad fellow, your friend Willum." Axel provides the theme of the play when he replies, "He's all right. He just needed to have his life interfered with a little, that's all."
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493:"): "Not this bloke. A villain I be, and a villain I'll stay." However, unbeknownst to Tansy and Willum, Axel has already set in motion the sort of demonstration of love that Tansy had a vague idea of: Axel has persuaded Kemp Hall to act as Rick Steadman and to behave unbearably, to force Willum to discover the "gumption" that he must find in himself. In many ways, this play resembles the short story "
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up. His awkward manner and inappropriate behavior throw the occasion into shambles. Rick decides to move in, and Willum feels that he can't say no, even when Rick begins to destroy his professional relationship with Mr. Waldgrave. Eventually at his wit's end, Axel devises a plan to get rid of Rick, which Willum decides to take a chance on.
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Over the years, Willum and Rick had exchanged occasional letters and greeting cards, though they never met. Willum has promised Rick that he could come to him for help at any time. While Willum is hosting a dinner party for his client (Warnock
Waldgrave, for whom he is designing a hotel), Rick shows
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through a staged reading in the 1979/80 Season, back at the old Court Street
Theater. It was such a success that it received its World Premiere the next season on the theater’s Main Stage (at the PAC’s Todd Wehr Theater) in April 1981. Author Larry Shue played the role of Willum Cubbert. It went on
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At the climax, Willum finally finds what Tansy calls the "gumption" to order Rick out of his home. He declares that he will leave for
Alexandria the next day and "court Tansy till she cracks." Tansy agrees that it is a good plan, and the two of them go out for some dinner. Axel is alone in the room
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What Willum and Tansy never learn is that "Rick
Steadman" is not actually Rick Steadman, the brave man who risked his own life to save Willum. The intruder is actually an actor, Kemp Hall, who was persuaded by Axel to impersonate Rick Steadman in order to make Willum understand his real priorities.
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The plan is enacted during a "traditional Terre Haute dinner" that Willum, Tansy, and Axel plan for Rick. They try to do as many strange things as they can think of, in order to get Rick to leave. They serve warm water and cottage cheese for the meal, and talk about imaginary traditions they did in
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presents the story of Willum
Cubbert, an unassuming young architect, who is landlord to friends Tansy and Axel. Tansy is a smart, attractive woman, with a mutual (but unconsummated) attraction to Willum; she is determined to leave in order to pursue a career in television meteorology in Washington,
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When Willum has a surprise birthday party from Axel and Tansy, he tells Tansy and Axel that he owes his life to Rick
Steadman, who was himself badly injured when he found Willum injured in Vietnam, and Rick pulled Willum to safety. He even made sure that Willum received medical attention before he
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D.C. Axel is a smart aleck drama critic who was once engaged, briefly, to Tansy. The three of them are good friends. Axel and Tansy are present when Willum, during a house party, becomes host to unexpected houseguest Rick
Steadman, who had saved Willum's life in
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Kemp, playing the nerd, drives Willum almost to (comical) violence as he becomes increasingly impossible to live with. Kemp has also, in the character of a man named Red Graham, been leaving phone messages for Willum, asking him to build a housing estate in
387:: Willum is an architect, currently designing a hotel for Mr. Waldgrave, and a pushover. He's kind and intelligent, but Tansy says he "could use a little gumption." He lacks the backbone to stand up for himself. Originally played by
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gave a mixed review of a 1987 performance, saying that the play "has whole half-hours that border on the moronic," yet it "racks up more laughs, and louder, than any farce this side of Alan
Ayckbourn.
527:, who also saw the play with Mark Hamill and Robert Joy, thought that while "Mr. Shue provides some bright one-liners," the play reminded him of "the cartoon world of Lucille Ball and Gale Gordon."
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himself did. Willum has never met the man, but has corresponded with him over the years out of gratitude. Willum always promised that if Rick needed help of any kind, Willum would be there for him.
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to be remounted in the 1995/96 (Quadracci
Powerhouse Theater) and 2006/07 Seasons (Stiemke Studio). The Nerd had its fourth full production by the Milwaukee Repertory Theater in the 2019/20 Season.
421:: The titular "nerd." He's oblivious to insult and lacks manners or sensitivity. He tells Willum that he works as an inspector at a chalk factory in Wisconsin. Originally played by
441:: Mr. Waldgrave's high-strung, put-upon wife. She holds back all of her emotions, and only releases her stress when she can break "something small." Originally played by
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In the 1987 production, the action diverged from the play in places, such as Robert Joy (as Rick) squawking like a chicken when the guests at Willum's party begin to eat
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in Washington, D.C., and feels guilty for leaving Willum behind. Idealistic, perky, and just as kind as Willum. The role was created by Patricia Kalember on Broadway.
371:. The show starred Robert Walsh (Willum Cubbert), Ellen Harvey (Tansy McGinnis), Jeff Levy-Lyons (Axel Hammond), William A. Kilmer (Warnock Waldgrave),
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431:: A boisterous, slightly dim businessman, owner of eight hotels, with no creativity and no tact. He never smiles. Originally played by
411:: Willum's best friend. He's a pretentious, often-inebriated drama critic, always ready with a sarcastic comment. Originally played by
455:," as Axel calls him. Spends most of the play hiding in a closet or bedroom. Originally played by Timothy Geissler on Broadway.
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demure." Disch concluded, "At some point disbelief ceases to be suspended, but even then it's possible to enjoy the ride."
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Tansy challenges Axel that, because she perceives him as being self-absorbed all the time, she would like to see him do
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401:: A smart woman who is as attracted to Willum as he is to her, but who has been offered her dream job as a
360:, who reprised his role. A series wasn't optioned but the episode was eventually broadcast in March 1996.
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for someone, just one time: "I'd feel easier about leaving here if I could see you once just go crazy and
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something for somebody." Axel replies jokingly (the stage directions say "As
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375:(Rick Steadman), Benari Poulten and Jamey Dereshinsky (Celia Waldgrave).
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Rea, Steven (October 15, 1986). "A Briton Tests His Humor on Broadway".
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The play had its European premiere in 1982. It was directed by
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This comedy play has some serious themes running throughout.
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role – Brooks brings perspective to Atlantan's comedy".
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Crouch, Paula (January 11, 1987). "Actor's no alien to
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451:: The Waldgraves' terror of a son. "Poster child for
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232:. It was the top grossing American play in London's
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670:"The Nerd, at Liberty Hall, November 3 – 26, 1989"
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690:Disch, Thomas M. (April 18, 1987). "The Nerd".
334:and, later, spraying Redi-Whip into his mouth.
221:is a two-act comedy written by American actor/
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582:Shue, Larry (1984).
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761:Fiction set in 1979
648:The New York Times
637:(March 23, 1987).
505:Critical reception
483:an anonymous favor
453:Planned Parenthood
593:978-0-8222-0811-2
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675:22 December
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616:30 November
477:Selfishness
389:Mark Hamill
321:Mark Hamill
316:as Willum.
285:Productions
246:Terre Haute
204:Terre Haute
736:1981 plays
730:Categories
693:The Nation
531:References
525:Frank Rich
515:Noises Off
491:Bill Sykes
423:Robert Joy
379:Characters
358:Robert Joy
226:Larry Shue
223:playwright
139:Characters
133:Larry Shue
129:Written by
99:April 2013
69:newspapers
563:Foreigner
337:In 1989,
236:in 1986.
654:April 9,
641:The Nerd
584:The Nerd
350:John Dye
290:The Nerd
254:The Nerd
234:West End
218:The Nerd
124:The Nerd
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509:Author
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259:Vietnam
250:Indiana
244:Set in
208:Indiana
200:Setting
187:English
166:1981-04
164: (
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343:sitcom
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195:Comedy
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611:(PDF)
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499:Saki
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